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 46
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On Oct. 27. 1863, Andrew Herr was united in marriage with Susan Hess, who was born near f.am- peter, in West Lampeter township. Feb. 28. 1842, a daughter of Harry and Elizabeth ( Herr) Hess. They have had a family of eight children: Eliza- beth F., born Dec. 30, 1864, married Jacob E. Wit- mer, a farmer of Strasburg township: Milton. born in 1866, died in infancy: Lucina V .. boru Dec. 22, 1867. died Sept. 28, 1870: Annie W., born April 10, 1870, died March 19. 1871 : Susan E .. born Jan. 2, 1872. married Benjamin Shaub, of Strasburg township; Harry H., born July 22. 1874. died Sept. 20. 1882: Mary E .. born Sept. 2. 18;6, married Tacob W. Brenneman, of Strasburg township : and Amos A., born Nov. 28. 1880. died Dec. 4. 1880. Mr. and Mrs. Herr are happy in their children and rejoice in their five grandchildren, Claire, Susan. Arthur and Anna Witmer and Myrtle Shaub. Theit religious connection is with the Old Mennonite Church, with which the family name is associated through the State.
JACOB B. MECKLEY, a retired farmer and carpenter of Elizabethtown. Pa., was born in Mt. Joy township, Sept. 25. 1822, a son of Jacob and Mary ( Brandt) Mecklev. of Dauphin. and Lancaster counties, respectively. The father was a farmer, and was killed by a tree falling on him before his son Jacob B .. was born. He was the father of two chil- dren: Anna, who married Henry Sharrer. and is now deceased ; and Jacob B. The widowed mother married for her second husband. Leonard Bender, by whom she had the following children: Leonard,
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deceased : Christian, who is in the West ; John, also in the West; Mary is married and lives at Marys- ville, Pa .; Fanny, who died unmarried in 1880 : and William. in the West. Mrs. Bender died in Cumber- land county, Pa., in 1880.
The paternal grandfather of Jacob B. Meckley, Melchior Meckley, came from Germany with his wife. The maternal grandfather of Mr. Meckley was Christian Brandt, a native of Lancaster county, where he lived and died.
Jacob B. Meckley was married in 1847 in Harris- burg, to Elizabeth Sherer, and to this union were born the following children: Isaac, who married Mary Kob, is deceased; Simon, deceased ; Fanny, who married Joshua Kavlor, a farmer of Conoy township : Mary A., deceased ; Elizabeth, deceased wife of Miller Metzgar, of Dauphin county. Mrs. Elizabeth (Sherer) Meckley was born in Dauphin county, Aug. 15. 1828. a daughter of John B. and Christiana ( Brill ) Sherer, farmer people of Dauphin county, where their entire lives were passed.
Jacob B. Meckley remained with his mother until he was four years of age, when he was put into the care of an uncle. Joshua Hoffer, who lived in Dauph- in county, and the ensuing ten years of his life were spent with him. At fourteen he began working for himself among the neighboring farmers, and after ten years of farm work rented a place for himself, which he cultivated one year. and then went on a second tarm, where he remained until he was thirty- five years old. It was near the river in Dauphin county, and when its owner died, the estate was sold. Mr. Meckley and his brother-in-law purchased the farm, which consisted of 187 acres. They cultivated this place until 1866, when Mr. Meckiey sold out his interest, and bought a second farm, engaging in its cultivation until 1880. That year he removed to Elizabethtown, and gave up active farming opera- tions.
Mr. Meckley is an enterprising and progressive citizen of the community. and has taken an active and intelligent interest in local affairs. For many years he was treasurer of the town council, and served in that capacity until 1898. Both he and his wife are members of the Brinzerites Church, and in political affairs he is a Republican. Mr. Meckley is a stock- holder in the Axle Works, and was instrumental in securing their location. He is a prosperous and much respected citizen of the community, and richly deserves whatever respect and good fortune have come to him in his latter days.
CHRISTIAN HUBER, one of the prominent and well-known farmers of West Lampeter town- ship, belongs to an old and respected family of Lan- caster county. The farm occupied by Christian Huber is one of the model ones of the township, lo- cated one mile southeast of Lampeter, and contains ninety-one acres of some of the best land in this sec- tion.
Christian Huber is a son of Christian and Annie
( Hornish) Huber, both of these names being well and favorably known throughout this part of the State, and was born Feb. 27, 1858. His education was received in the excellent public schools. after which he remained on the home farm until his mar- riage. in 1884, at which time he removed to his pres- ent place. . At that time it consisted of eighty-eight acres, and was in need of many improvements, all of which our subject has taken no little pains and ex- pense to remedy. and now, with an additional three acres and the erection of good buildings and capac- ious tobacco warehouses, he has one of the finest farms to be found in this locality. A general line of farming is carried on. and modern methods have been introduced to a larger degree than by any other farmer of this neighborhood. In 1900 he had a com- plete system of electric lighting introduced into all the buildings connected with his place. this being an innovation that certainly will result in advantage to its progressive owner.
Christian Huber was married Jan. 20, 1884, to Elizabeth Lefever. a daughter of Adam and Cath- erine (Kendig ) Lefever, who was born in Lampeter, May 24, 1860, and to this union four children have been born: Katie. Annie, Daisy and Henry. In his political connection Christian Huber has been a stanch Republican, but has never sought or consented to hold office. In the Did Mennonite Church he has ever been a member of good standing, and has reared his family in the same pious way. The family is of the highest respectability and possesses the esteem of all.
HON. DAVID McMULLEN, ex-judge of the courts of Lancaster county, is one of the most popular counsellors in the county, where his distinguished legal abilities have long since commanded a wide and generous recognition.
William McMullen, the grandfather of David, came to America from Belfast, Ireland, and made his home in Earl township, Lancaster county. A weaver by occupation, he found his work popular, for the farmers were then great growers of flax. After a time he removed to Pennville, Elizabeth township, where he continued his weaving until his death.
James McMullen, the father of the Judge. was a contracting carpenter, and he married Elizabeth Sheetz, a daughter of Jacob Sheetz, then living at what is now known as Halfville, Elizabeth township, Lancaster county. Three of the four children born to this union are now living: Susan, wife of Will- iam Yeagley, a farmer of Cornwall township. Leba- non county : Hon. David, of Lancaster ; and Edward. a farmer of Penn township. Catherine. the oldest child, married Abraham Kauffman, of Penn town- ship, and is deceased.
Hon. David McMullen was born near Mt. Hope, Lancaster county, Oct. 20, 1844, and had his educa- tion in the public schools of the county, in Veates Institute, in the Vermont Episcopal School at Bur- ! lington, Vt., and at the State Normal School at Mil-
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BIOGRAPHICAL ANNALS OF LANCASTER COUNTY
lersville, from which he was graduated in 1868. For two years, after his graduation he taught school. and then began the study of law. reading under the super- : vision of Hugh C. Graham, of Oil City, where he was engaged as a teacher until the fall of 1860. The following spring he entered the office of the late S. H. Reynolds, of Lancaster, and there continued his studies until he was admitted to the Bar in Decem- ber, 1871, being admitted to the supreme court in due time, and he at once entered upon a lucrative and growing business.
A Democrat in political faith. Judge McMullen was elected to the common branch of the city coun- cils, from the second ward, and has been a member of the school board since 1889. In 1800 he was elected its president, and has since been re-elected to the chair Mr. McMullen was appointed by Gov. Pattison in March, 1892, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Judge Patterson, the term expiring the following year. Judge McMullen was nominated by the Democrats, and supported by a leading Re- publican paper of Lancaster, made a magnificent run in this the "banner Republican county" of the State. It was the most remarkable vote ever polled by a Democrat in Lancaster county.
Judge MeMullen is a member of St. James Epis- copal Church, where he has been a vestryman for a number of years, and he has acted as treasurer of the parish since 1877. He is a trustee of Yeates Insti- tute, and a member of the board of trustees of the State Normal School at Millersville. Since the in- ception of the General Hospital of Lancaster, he has been president of its board of trustees. Mr. McMul- len belongs to the Royal Arcanum, and the A. O. U. W. He was favorite counsel to the late Miss Cath- erine Long, who gave $300,000 for a home for in- digent unmarried women and the establishment of a city park, and he is counsel for the executors of her will.
Judge McMullen was married to Miss Susan E .. a daughter of the late Peter E. Lightner. a farmer. whose fine country home was just beyond the western limits of Lancaster. To this marriage were born two children : Mary R., wife of T. William Benner. of Lancaster : and Emily S., the wife of Dr. Samuel Heller, a practicing physician of this city. Judge McMullen occupies a prominent place in the legal profession, and his kindly nature and magnetic per- sonality make him welcome in all circles, regardless of political bias.
RUDOLPH S. HERR. The Herr family is one of the old and most respected ones of Lancaster county, and members have been long prominent both in the religious as well as the agricultural affairs of this part of the Keystone State.
David Herr, the father of Rudolph S. Herr, was born in this county where he passed his whole life. quietly pursuing the avocations of a husbandman, and by precept and example demonstrating his fit- ness for the position of deacon in the Old Mennonite .
Church, which honorable office he held for a lone period. David Herr married Miss Susan Schenk. and they became the parents of nine children, the- being Rev. Christian, a good and holy man. now de- ceased, a faithful minister in the faith of the O !! Mennonite Church : Susan, deceased. who was the wife of John Charles: David, who is a retired far- mer of Manor township; Henry, deceased, who was a farmer of Lancaster township; Annie. decease.i. who was the wife of Jacob Landis, a miller of Manor township ; Rudolph S., the subject of this biography : Daniel, who is a retired farmer of Penn township : Abram, who is a farmer on the old homestead. in Lancaster township; and Mary, who is the widow of Philip Bausman.
Rudolph S. Herr was born in Lancaster town- ship Feb. 17, 1827. and he was reared a farmer bov. His education was acquired in the commen schools of his locality, and later, with his manly strength and energy, he began his farming opera- tions, his field of work being the estate upon which he has ever since resided. In 1899 he permitted the management to fall upon younger shoulders, living somewhat retired since that date. Although a ver; thorough agriculturist, Mr. Herr had time and abil- itv to enter into other enterprises. also. In 1890 Mr. Herr established a large ice plant on his farm. and very soon, with the assistance of his sons, a large business was built up in this desirable com- modity, but in 1900 it was bought by the ice trust. Alr. Herr has also engaged considerably in the handling of real estate, and is probably better posted on the values of country property through this State than any other citizen. In politics he has always been a member of the Republican party, and has served for an extended period as school director.
The marriage of Mr. Herr was to Miss Magde- line Landis, who was a daughter of John and Annie Landis, and to this union were born twelve children, six of whom died in childhood, the survivors being: Lizzie I .. , at home; John, a farmer : Rudolph L., ¿ farmer in Manor township; Christian, a farmer of Lancaster township; Jacob. one of the partners in the ice business : and Magdelina, the wife of Henry Harnish, of Pequea township. The farm at the old homestead is managed by Mr. Herr's son. John. a very capable and reliable young man.
Mr. Herr is widely known and universally re- spected. Few men in this locality have been more prominently identified with progressive enterprises beneficial to the community. His membership in the Old Mennonite Church has existed since his early clays. As citizen, friend and neighbor Mr. Herr enjoys the respect of every one.
THOMAS BENTON HAMBLETON. Promi- nent among the honorable and thrifty citizens of Drumore township, few are more highly esteemed than Thomas Benton Hambleton, who is a merchant and the popular postmaster at Fernglen. He was born Jan. 4, 1836, in Fulton township, a son of Elias
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and Martha (Kinsey) Hambleton, the latter being a native of Drumore township.
James Hambleton, the great-grandfather of Thomas B. Hambleton, came to America from Eng- land and settled in early days in Bucks county, Pa., and his son, James, became the progenitor of a numerous family which has settled in many States. 1
Elias Hambleton, the father of Thomas B., was a son of James and Hannah Hambleton, of Dru- more township, born in 1801. He died in Drumore township, in 1872. On Oct. 29, 1829, he was mar- ried to Miss Martha Kinsey, of McConnelsville, Morgan Co., Ohio, who was born May 12, 1805, a daughter of Benjamin and Margaret Kinsey: she : died Sept. 5, 1880. The children born to this mar- '
After the close of the war Mr. Hambleton re- turned home and as soon as he could rearrange his life to peaceful pursuits again he found his old riage numbered eleven, as follows: Joseph P., who ; patrons awaiting him, and he took up his old pro- was a farmer of Drumore township : Margaret Ann, widow of William MeLaughlin. of Martic township, now of Drumore township: Benjamin K., a car- penter in Martic township: Thomas Benton, sub- ject of this sketch ; Walter F., deceased : Miss Mary E., who resided at Fairfield, Pa., until her death, Oct. 20, 1901 ; James, who died young : Hannah. who is also deceased : Elias H., of Drumore town- ship : Rankin G., of Fulton township; and Aibert, of Kansas.
Thomas Benton Hambleton was reared on his father's farm and received exceptional educational advantages, beginning in the common schools of his district, then entered the Chestnut Level Acad- emy and later the Millersville Normal School, after which he entered upon the profession of teaching. and very successfully followed it for a period cov- ering several years.
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Among the earliest of the enthusiastic and loval citizens who responded in 1861 to the call for de- fenders of the country was Thomas B. Hambleton, who volunteered on Sept. 30th of that vear, be- coming a member of Co. E, 79th P. V. I., under Capt. M. D. Wickersham and Col. H. A. Ham- bright. They were assigned to the 14th Army Corps, which was under the command of the ven- erated Gen. George H. Thomas. Mr. Hambleton saw much hard service, taking part in many en- gagements. On May 20, 1862. Gen. James S. Neg- ley commanded an expedition in front of Chatta- nooga, Tenn., of which Col. H. A. Hambright, of the 79th P. V. I., had command of the troops im- mediately in front of the city on June 7 and 8. The expedition started from Columbia, Tenn .. Mav 29th, and after a march of over 192 miles reached the heights opposite Chattanooga-the first Union troops ever in front of the city-in the afternoon of June 7. 1862. This feint preceded the battle of Perryville, Kv., Oct. 8, 1862, in which the 79th Pennsylvania lost thirty-seven per cent. of those engaged. Other engagements in which Mr. Ham- bleton participated with his regiment were: the battle of Stone River : Hoover's Gap, Tenn. : Talla- homa: Chickamauga: in the skirmishes around Chattanooga and Missionary Ridge ; then on toward.
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Atlanta, where the troops were continually exposed ; with Gen. Sherman in his march to the sea. Later his regiment went up through the Carolinas, thence on to Richmond, and to Washington, where Mr. Hambleton took part in that memorable review. which still stirs the hearts of all who witnessed it and felt its significance. In that city our subject was honorably discharged July 12, 1865. Although not entirely disabled, Mr. Hambleton did not es- cape all injury, having been badly wounded at Hoover's Gap, Tenn., and was also slightly wounded in the knee at Chickamauga.
fession. In 1871 he came to Fernglen and opened up a mercantile business which has proved emi- nently successful. owing to his upright business methods and his willingness to cater to the reason- able wishes of his patrons. In 1891 he was ap- pointed postmaster, and is the only one ever located in Fernglen, giving perfect satisfaction to all con- cerned.
On Oct. 19, 1871, Thomas B. Hambleton was married to Miss Mary E. Lamborn, of Martic town- ship, who was born June 22, 18440. daughter of Smedley and Margaret ( Bolton) Lamborn, the for- mer of whom was a son of George Lamborn, who reared a large family in Chester county, and was a leading member of the Society of Friends. Mrs. Hambleton was one of a family of eleven children, namely: George S., who is a farmer of Martic township : Aquilla B., of Little Britain township : Emeline, who was the wife of Joseph Shoemaker, deceased : Elwood : William Lewis : Mary Elizabeth, wife of our subject : Sarah Ellen, wife of Jacob K. Brown, a farmer of Fulton township. of whom more extended mention can be found elsewhere : Alice ... wife of William L. Shoemaker, a thrifty farmer, of whom more extended notice is given elsewhere ; Priscilla, who died young: Lucinda, wife of B. F. Teunis, of Drumore township; and Lydia, wife of Amos P. Smith. of whom extended mention is made in another place.
Mr. Hambleton is one of the leading citizens of this locality, and is especially noted for his upright- ness of life and most estimable character. He has been a life-long Republican and carries out in his life the simplicity of the Quaker belief. In his busi- ness he is alert and energetic, but thoroughly hon- est and reliable. He owns a most comfortable dwelling, a fine stock of goods, with large ware- house, and considerable property. all of which has been acquired by legitimate methods. Mr. Hamble- ton is a member of Post No. 566. G. A. R .. and is the secretary of Co. E. 79th P. V. V. I., which meets annually for a three-days encampment. He has in his possession a most interesting diary which he kept of his life during the Civil war, giving an ac- count of each day's proceedings during his nearly
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BIOGRAPHICAL ANNALS OF LANCASTER COUNTY
four years of continuous service. He is also the possessor of a very large library: many books of very valuable research, among them being fifteen volumes of The Encyclopedia of Universal Knowl- edge. He has revisited many of the sanguinary battlefields in Tennessee and Georgia since the war, and has in his possession many relics of those hard- fought contests.
MICHAEL B. MUSSER, a retired farmer of the township of East Donegal, and a man whose character and standing are the -very highest among those who know him best, was born in West Done- gal township, Aug. 15, 1831, a son of Benjamin E. and Elizabeth ( Brenner) Musser, born in East Donegal and Mt. Joy townships, respectively.
Benjamin E. Musser was born Aug. 14, 1810, and was accidentally killed in Herington. Kan., Sept. 23, 1884. He was in Kansas buying property, and was accompanied by his sons, Henry and Michael B. They had driven into the country to complete the purchase of a section of land, had accomplished their purpose, and were returning to town, when they drove through a ravine, and the occupants were thrown out of the wagon, Michael B., falling first but escaping serious injury. The father received such injuries that he died very shortly after being taken up. The body was brought back to Pennsyl- vania, and was buried in the Brethren in Christ Cemetery in East Donegal township. Mr. Musser belonged to the River Brethren Church, and posses- sed considerable property in his old age, being able to retire from active work in 1862. His wife, Eliza- beth Brenner, died Alay 25, 1880, at the age of sixty-eight years. To Benjamin E. and Elizabeth (Brenner) Musser were born the following chi !- dren : Mary, who married Jacob Flory, and lives in Ohio; Michael B .; John, who died in Kansas ; Susie, who married Jacob Musser, now deceased : Benjamin, a minister in Franklin county, Pa. : Henry, of Florin; Martha, wife of Daniel Heisey ; Annie, who married Rev. John Kuntz, of Union Deposit : and Amos, of Harrisburg, Pa., a deacon in the Messiah Home, which he helped to organize.
The paternal grandparents of Michael B. Musser were Henry and Mary (Engle) Musser, both na- tives of Donegal township, where they were honest farming people. Mr. Musser died a young man. and his widow married Jacob Hershey for her sec- ond husband, by whom she had no children. To her first husband she bore the following children : Benjamin : Susannah, who married John Gish, who was a Bishop of the River Brethren Church; Martha, wife of Michael Hoffman : and Anna M., the wife of Jacob Engie.
The maternal grandparents of Michael B. Mus- ser were Philip and Anna M. ( Singhaus ) Brenner. Mr. Brenner was born Nov. 1I, 1752, and died July 1, 1836. Both he and his wife were natives of Lan- caster county, and were buried in the Cross Roads Cemetery, township of East Donegal. The maternal
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great-grandparents of Mr. Musser were Michas and Susannah ( Hoffman) Brenner, who lived an : died in Lancaster county, and were buried in ::: 2 Kraybill Meeting House Cemetery, in East Done- gal township.
Michael B. Musser was married in West Her:2- field township, to Catharine Musser, and the == were born to this union four children, Elizab : M., wife of Rev. A. Z .. Hess, of the townshin :: East Donegal : Eli M. ; Anna, wife of Benjamin Niss- ley; and Martha, wife of Hiram Wolgemuth. :: East Donegal township.
Mrs. Catharine Musser was born in West Hems- feld township, Nov. 13, 1832, a daughter of Chess: and Catherine ( Newcomer) Musser. Her father was a farmer of Lancaster county, and lived to te eighty-eight years old. Her mother reached the same age, and both were buried on the farm. They were members of the York Brethren Church. The :: children were: Anna, widow of Christ Sheetz, of Rapho township; Miss Barbara, living on the off farm, as does also her sister, Miss Mary ; Catharine : Christ, a farmer in West Hempfield township ; John. also a West Hempfield farmer; Tobias, a farmer in Rapho township; Joseph, a farmer in the township of Rapho; and Martha, deceased.
Mir. Musser has been on the farm where he is now living since the age of eleven years. and is a man of inost industrious and exemplary habits. As a member of the Cross Roads River Brethren Church, his life is squared by his faith to an uncom- mon extent, and the esteem in which his associates hold him is attested by the fact that he has been deacon of the church for twenty years. In local affairs he is a very prominent man, and may be fairly called one of the representative men of the township.
ELI M. MUSSER (deceased), only son of Michael B. Musser. was born July 29, 1859, on the farm where he died in December, 1896. His re- mains were buried in the Cross Roads River Breti :- ren Church Cemetery. He was married in Nov .. 1830, in Mt. Joy township, to Mary Wolgemuth. by whom he became the father of the following children : Irvin W., who remains at home and culti- vates the family estate with a skilled and workman- like manner, rarely found in so young a man; and Anna W., Katie W., Mary W., Barbara W., an.1 Martha W., all at home. Mrs. Mary (Wolgemuth) Musser was born in Mt. Joy township, a daughter of Rev. Joseph and Barbara ( Nissley) Wolgemuth. both of whom died in Mt. Joy township, the father in December, 1884, at the age of sixty-two years, and the mother in March. 1892. at the age of seventy- two years. Both were members of the River Breth- ren Church, of which he was a preacher fif- teen years. Born to this union were: Daniel, a farmer in the township of Mt. Joy: Martin, a re- tired farmer of West Donegal township: Anna, wife of Levi Mumma, living on the old homestead : Aaron who died young; and Mary. The paternal grand-
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BIOGRAPHICAL ANNALS OF LANCASTER COUNTY
parents of Mrs. Eli Musser were Daniel and Bar- bara ( Witmer) Wolgemuth, both natives of Lin- caster county, who lived and died in the township of Mt. Joy. Her maternal grandparents were Martin and Lizzie ( Hershey) Nissley, who spent their lives in Lancaster county.
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