USA > Pennsylvania > Lebanon County > Biographical annals of Lebanon County, Pennsylvania : containing biographical sketches of prominent men and representative citizens and of the early settled families > Part 37
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Peter Horst, the father, was a son of Peter, who married a Miss Heisey, and by profession was a physician, but devoted his energies to farming and milling, becoming one of the large land owners of the county. His property. consisting of 300 acres of land, was all in one large tract, on which stood his mill which gave to the locality its name of Horst's Mill. During a long and honorable life he amassed a large competency and was known as one of the representative men of Lebanon county. His religious affiliations were with the Mennonite Church. Peter (2), the father, was born on the home- stead as was his father before, and his son after, him, and with the exception of eight years spent near Schaefferstown. his life was lived upon his farm. On October 29, 1835, while residing near Schaefferstown, he was married. and after eight years' residence in that locality, he returned to the homestead. and took charge of 155 acres, and also became the owner of other property, being one of the successful men of the township. In height, like his father, he was tall and commanding in appearance. He took a deep interest in local affairs, and served as school director for several terms. In addition to his other interests in Lebanon county, he owned a fine farm of 272 acres in Center county, Pa. He and his wife were devoted members of the Mennonite
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Church. The following family was born to them: (1) John, born October 30: 1837, died at the age of fifty-two years, was a farmer in South Lebanon township, on a farm adjoining the homestead; he left a widow, Leah (Funk) Horst, and two children, Irvin, a cigar manufacturer of Schaefferstown; and Laura, who married Aaron Risser, a resident of Bellaire, Pa. (2) Abrahami is a farmer of Lebanon township. (3) Jacob is a farmer of South Lebanon township. (4) Peter is mentioned below. (5) Anna married Jacob Bru- baker, of South Lebanon township, a retired farmer. (6) Elizabeth died at the age of eleven years. (7) Catherine died at the age of eight years. (8) Joseph died at the age of eight years. (9) Michael died at the age of six months.
Peter Horst (3), our subject, was reared upon the homestead farm, where he has spent his life, and received his education in the public schools ot his district. After his marriage, he began farming on his own account, and has continued that calling ever since, now owning 114 acres of the old home- stead, where his own birth occurred, as did that of his father, grandfather and possibly great-grandfather.
On December 14, 1878, Mr. Horst was married to Amanda Gingrich. daughter of Isaac and Elizabeth (Westenberger) Gingrich, born in South Annville township, January 27, 1858, and died March 10, 1900. Five chil- dren were born to them: Amanda, Annie, Elizabeth, Ammon and Ada, all at home. The name Horst has been long associated with the best interests of Lebanon county, and Mr. Horst has won the confidence and respect of his fellow citizens by his industry, thrift and uprightness of living.
WILLIAM L. WEAVER. Among the prosperous and successful farmers of Jackson township, one who deserves special mention is William L. Weaver, residing at "Weaver's Hotel," on the Dauphin and Berks turnpike. Jackson township, near the Berks county line, who was born in Heidelberg township, October 17, 1845, a son of Benjamin and Sarah ( Leffler ) Weaver, of the above named township.
Benjamin Weaver was the son of John Weaver, whose father came from Germany in the early days of the history of this locality.
John Weaver, grandfather of William L., was a thrifty and prosperous man, for whom the village of Weavertown was named. He was the father of the following family: Daniel, Israel, Jolin, Benjamin, Elizabeth. Sarah, Rebecca and Lucy. A consistent member of the German Baptist Church. he was active in all good work. In political matters, he adhered to the principles of the Republican party.
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Benjamin Weaver, the father, born in 1820, and died in 1900, was the father of these children: Leah; William L .; John, of Jackson township: Sara, deceased; Henry, of Lebanon county; Samuel, deceased; Mary, Annie and Jonathan, of Jackson township.
William L. Weaver was reared upon the farm in Jackson township, and received his education in the public schools. Upon attaining to manhood, he decided upon an agricultural life, and by hard work and untiring industry is now the owner of several fine farms, one of eighty acres, one of eighty-six acres, and one of forty acres, all of which are well improved. He is also the proprietor of "Weaver's Hotel."
On December 26, 1869, Mr. Weaver was married to Miss Mary Hos- tetter, daughter of Samuel Hostetter, of Jackson township, and one of a family of five children : Elizabeth, wife of John Leffler ; Lydia, wife of Elias Brubacker ; Catharine, widow of Aaron Bollinger; Mary, wife of William L. Weaver : and Samuel, of Richland. Nine children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Weaver: Robert; Wallrow; Cora, married to Francis Moyer; Cath- eryn, married to Reiley Capp: Loudie, Augustus, Mary, William and Fides, the five last named being at home.
During a life of hard work and kindly charity, Mr. Weaver has made many friends and firmly established himself in the confidence of the neighbor- hood. Both he and his estimable wife come of old and honorable families in this locality, and not only are they themselves a credit to their ancestors, but they have reared a fine family of intelligent and prosperous children to carry on the name of Weaver, as well as to transmit the many virtues of both the Weavers and Hostetters to future generations.
ANDREW KREIDER, one of Annville's most prominent citizens, president of the Annville National Bank, and a man who has been identified with almost all of the leading public enterprises which have made that town and vicinity prosperous, was born on a farm in South Annville township, July 18, 1828, a son of David and Sarah (Henry) Kreider.
The Kreiders are connected by marriage with many of the other old and prominent families of Lebanon and Lancaster counties. Jacob Kreider, the grandfather of Andrew, was born about two miles south of the city of Lebanon, and married Mary Stauffer, daughter of Abraham Stauffer, of a prominent family of Lancaster county. Nine children were born to them as follows: Elizabeth, David, Joseph, Michael, Nancy, Susan, Kate, Mary and Lydia. Jacob Kreider was a son of Henry Kreider, who was born south of Lebanon, where the founder of the family settled on coming to America
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from Switzerland. Several brothers of the name came to Pennsylvania together, and one of these settled in Lancaster county, and the others in that part of Lancaster which is now included in Lebanon county.
David Kreider, the father of Andrew, was born about two and one-half miles southwest of the city of Lebanon, October 16, 1803, and died December 14, 1871, while the mother was born January 20, 1808, at Palmyra, Lebanon county, and died November 6, 1852. Their children were as follows: Andrew; David, born in 1832; Henry H., born September 30, 1835; Mary, born in 1838, married Abraham M. Brightbill; and Joseph H., born January 23, 1841. David Kreider was twice married, his second wife being Magdalena Shenk, who was born in Dauphin county, and the children of this union were: Elizabeth, deceased; Daniel; Lydia, the wife of Henry Kettering; Annie; and Aaron S.
Andrew Kreider was reared on the farm, and attended the country schools in his locality, and also the old Annville Academy. In September, 1862, during the Civil war, he became a member of a cavalry company of Pennsylvania Emergency troops, ready for the defense of the State.
In 1867 Mr. Kreider erected his present comfortable home in Annville, and determined to make this pleasant village his place of residence, since which time he has been identified with its prosperity. For several years he engaged in the lumber and real estate business, doing much in this line to bring the town into touch with other parts of the county. In 1873 he was one of the organizers of the Annville Savings Bank, which has grown into the Annville National Bank, of which he served as vice-president until the death of President Judge Kinports, when he became the head of this leading financial institution of Lebanon county. No citizen has been more deeply interested than he, in the growth of the Lebanon Valley College, an insti- tution of learning whose graduates rank with those from much older colleges.
On May 29, 1866, Andrew Kreider was united in marriage with Emma L. Miller, who was born in North Annville, June 12, 1846, a daughter of George A. Miller. The children born to this marriage are the following : Sallie, Raymond, Edwin and Anna E., all of whom have been given fine educational advantages, and all are graduates of the Lebanon Valley College. The United Brethren Church, of which Mr. Kreider is a member, has profited much by his generosity, as have the various charities of the locality, his private benefactions, however, exceeding his public ones. Mr. Kreider has always been public-spirited. and was instrumental in getting Annville's present water supply, contributing both time and money to that much needed
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public improvement. In all other public movements he has always been found on the side of progress, and is very justly regarded as the town's leading and most useful citizen.
DAVID KREIDER, one of the most prominent and public-spirited citizens of Annville, Lebanon county, was born on the old Kreider farm in South Annville township, December 1I, 1832, a son of David, Sr., and Sarah (Henry) Kreider. David Kreider Sr., was twice married, and became the father of ten children, eight of whom are still living in Annville with their families. The other two are deceased, but are represented in Annville by some of their children.
The boyhood days of David Kreider, our subject, were spent on his father's farm, during which time he attended the common schools of the neighborhood. Later he enjoyed the advantages of a term of six months at Orwigsburg, Schuylkill Co., Pa. In 1855 he married, and for one year worked the homestead, and he was but twenty-three years of age when he located in Annville and engaged in a milling business, along which line he has continued ever since, achieving marked success. The mill he owns is one of the land- marks of Lebanon county, having been built during the latter part of the eighteenth century, in 1793, by Abraham Raiguel, and came into the pos- session of the father of Mr. Kreider in 1840, and into its present owner's hands in 1856. In addition to his milling interests Mr. Kreider is a director of the Annville National Bank, having held that office since 1894, and is one of the directors of the Annville Water Company, he and his brothers all being interested therein. Mr. Kreider is now, and has been for twelve years, one of the managers of the Berks and Dauphin Turnpike Company. He was a trustee of the Lebanon Valley College from 1867 to 1887. Mr. Kreider was one of five men, the others being John Bachman. Jacob Shertzer, Joseph Bomberger and George Reigler, who bought the Annville Academy, and who later sold same to Annville village, the village donating it to the United Brethren conference; from that beginning has grown the Lebanon Valley College. Few men are more earnest in their church work than is Mr. Kreider, he being connected with the denomination known as the United Brethren in Christ; he is a trustee of the parsonage. Politically he has always been a Republican.
Mr. Kreider was first married to Leah, daughter of Daniel Kreider, and second to Elizabeth, daughter of John B. Graybill. He is the father of the following named children: John G., of Annville; David G., of Annville; Joseph Lehn, a student at Yale University, and Lillian G., at home, a
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teacher of music. Among the representative inen of Lebanon county Mr. Kreider takes foremost rank, and he and his family are important factors in the social life of Annville.
HENRY H. KREIDER, one of the leading citizens of Annville, vice- president of the Annville National Bank, and head of the firm of Kreider & Company, dealers in lumber, coal and grain, was born September 30, 1835. in the old Kreider homestead in South Annville township, Lebanon county, a son of David and Sarah (Henry) Kreider.
Henry H. Kreider was educated in the public schools of Annville, later attending school at Mechanicsburg, and still later the Annville Academy. From 1855 to 1860 he engaged in teaching school, and from 1860 to 1866 he was in the mercantile business as a member of the firm of Kimports & Kreider, disengaging himself in order to embark in a milling business which he carried on for some four years. Later he added coal, in 1872 becoming interested in coal and grain, and adding lumber in 1891. Mr. Kreider has been a very successful business man, and is well and widely known because of his large interests in Annville and vicinity. For many years he has been one of the most progressive and public spirited of the town's citizens, his interest in the growth and development of her resources being shown in the organi- zation of the Lebanon Valley College, in 1867, of which he has been a trustee ever since, and was also treasurer until 1899. To Mr. Kreider more than to any other man, on account of his efforts during his long incumbency of the office of treasurer of the college, is due its development to its present stage. Mr. Kreider was also one of the organizers of the Annville National Bank, of which he has been a director since its foundation, and since 1893 has been its very efficient vice-president. Another large and important business enter- prise which owes much to the energy of Mr. Kreider is the Annville Water Company, of which he is also president, and he was one of the original directors of the electric railroad from Lebanon to Annville, which was subse- quently sold to another company, which extended the road to Palmyra. In 1876 he was elected to the office of prothonotary of Lebanon county for a term of three years, and previous to that he was county auditor for a term of three years. Mr. Kreider was originally a Whig, and later a strong Repub- lican in politics, in which he has taken an active part. His first vote was cast for John C. Fremont. He was a delegate to the Republican National Con- vention from his native State in 1884, when James G. Blaine was nominated for president.
On September 6, 1859, Mr. Kreider was married to Mary Hoverter,
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daughter of Christian Hoverter, of Annville, and the following named children have been born to this union : Morris David, who is a carpenter by trade; William Henry, who graduated from the Lebanon Valley College in 1894, and from the Law Department of Yale University in 1896, subse- quently took a special course in law in 1897, the same year was admitted to practice in all the courts of Connecticut, and in 1898 was admitted to the Pennsylvania Bar, and is now in successful law practice in Philadelphia, being a partner of Senator John C. Grady, the leader of the Republican party in the Pennsylvania Legislature: and Mary E., still at home, who took a classical course in Lebanon Valley College, graduating in 1899, graduated after a course in instrumental music in 1896, and in vocal music in 1898, and took a musical course in the London Conservatory of Music in 1898.
JOSEPH H. KREIDER, brother of Andrew, was born January 23, 1841, receiving an excellent education, studying at Mt. Pleasant Union Col- lege, in Westmoreland county, Pa .. at Lebanon Valley Institution. at Dickin- son Seminary. Williamsport, and at the State Normal Institute, Lancaster. He taught during the intervals of his attendance at these institutions in South Annville, and North Annville two terms, teaching three terms altogether. However, he had taken the responsibilities of life upon his shoulders at a much earlier age, when a mere boy of fourteen or fifteen years, buying and selling stock and grain for his father. He left home when sixteen years old, and from that time was self-supporting. When twenty-three years old. in 1863, he bought what is known as the Clear Spring Mill. to which he gave its present name; he took possession in 1864. During 1864-65 he bought and sold hay to the government in partnership with his brother, Andrew. In 1865 he began milling, and in 1868 reconstructed the mill. He has continued in that line ever since, and for a time had, as a partner, his brother, H. H. Kreider. Buying him out he took his son Gideon into partnership in 1888, and the firm is now known as Joseph H. Kreider & Son. They have another mill at Penrythe, being large manufacturers of flour for shipment. Mr. Kreider was one of the organizers in 1889 of the Millers' Mutual Fire Insurance Company, of Harrisburg, Pa., has been treasurer ever since its organization, and is also a member of the board of directors. He was one of the organizers of the Annville Savings Bank: was one of the original organizers of the Annville Water Works Company, of which he has been a director ever since. Believing that the best interests of the town could be furthered by having a good conservative paper. Mr. Kreider, in conjunction with Rev. J. R. Meredith, started a paper in 1887, which was called the
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Annville Journal. At the expiration of two years Mr. Meredith retired, but Mr. Kreider retained its management until recently. From the first this ven- ture was a success, and tended much to the advancement of the town, its voice being always on the side of progress, and its columns open for discussion on all civic matters. Mr. Kreider relinquished its management with reluctance, and only because he felt the time had come for him to lay aside some of his interests in order to take life a little easier. He is one of the managers of the Berks & Dauphin Turnpike Road Co., a position he has filled for twenty-one years. He was for fourteen years engaged in quarrying limestone for the furnaces, beginning in about 1879-1880. In partnership with his son-in-law, C. M. Coover, he also owns the Lebanon Paper Box Factory, which was started in Annville five years ago. Two years ago they built in Lebanon, and moved the works to that city. Such has been the success of this concern that on December 23, 1903, it was incorporated, with a capital of $30,000. Thus it will be seen that Mr. Kreider has taken a leading and active part in the devel- opment of home industries and numerous enterprises calculated to raise the standard of progress and prosperity in his community, and contributing materially toward its welfare. In religion he is a member of the United Brethren Church.
Mr. Kreider was married February 23, 1864, to Anna Catherine Boller, daughter of William and Emma ( Hansell) Boller, of Philadelphia. Four children have blessed this union: (1) Gideon R., born January 6, 1865, is interested in business with his father, and is manager of the People's Ice Com- pany, of Harrisburg, Pa. He married Anna W. Brunner, daughter of William E. Brunner, of Campbelltown. (2) Emma Sara, born January 22, 1868, married C. M. Coover, of Annville, a box manufacturer of Lebanon. (3) D. Albert, born March 23, 1871, received his primary schooling in Annville, graduated from Lebanon Valley College in 1892, in the classical course, and took a post-graduate course in Yale University, which he attended for three years, taking the degree of Ph. D. He was appointed assistant in chemistry before he was graduated, was then elected by the corporation instructor in physics, and in 1902 was elected assistant professor in physics. He married Anna Ruth Forney, a graduate of Lebanon Valley College, class of 1892, classical course. (4) Josephine, born March 16, 1873, married C. V. Henry, the present district attorney of Lebanon county. All of the family have had the advantages of college education.
AARON SHENK KREIDER, proprietor of the A. S. Kreider & Co. shoe factory, Annville, one of the large and important industries of that place,
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was born in South Annville township June 26, 1863, a son of David and Mag- dalena (Shenk) Kreider, the latter a daughter of Christian Shenk. Mrs. Kreider was born in 1818, in Dauphin county, and died in 1887, at the age of sixty-nine years.
Aaron S. Kreider was reared on the farm, and remained there until the death of his father, when he accompanied his mother to Campbelltown, Leba- non county. There he attended the public schools and later Lebanon Valley College, still later studying at the Allentown Business College, from which he graduated in 1880. Going West, he visited friends at Fulton, Mo., and for some time engaged in farm work in that locality, later accepting a clerical posi- tion in the town, in the mercantile house of Spicer, Smith & Co., remaining there some three years. In the spring of 1883 he started out to make an over- land trip through the western States, to see the country and for recreation, the journey covering Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska and the two Dakotas, and end- ing in Minnesota. Toward the close of the year he returned to Pennsylvania and accepted a position as clerk in the hardware store of E. Dissinger, at Campbelltown, where he remained until the spring of 1885, and then took charge of Mr. Dissinger's store, at Roseland, Lebanon county. In the spring of 1886 he began farming, and at the same time built a warehouse and coal landing on the Cornwall & Lebanon railroad, and brought to bear influence which resulted in the establishment of a postoffice at that point, which he named Lawn. Mr. Kreider is really the founder of the town, as there was nothing there when he secured the side track in 1886. Engaged in his various lines of business, managing his farm and shipping grain and stock extensively, Mr. Kreider was one of the most progressive and successful citizens of the village, where he remained until 1893, when he removed to Palmyra. Here he rented from the Philadelphia & Reading Railway Co. coal yards, and from W. L. Kreider a warehouse, and began looking into the prospects for other industrial enterprises. In the spring of 1894 he rented the plant of the Palmyra Boot & Shoe Co., which he operated until the spring of 1895. when he built a factory at Annville. The plant was a small one at the beginning, but has been enlarged from time to time until it is now a commodious four-story brick structure. front- ing 130 feet on Railroad street and 187 on Sheridan avenue, with floor space of about 46,000 square feet ; employment is given to about five hundred people, who turn out ladies', misses' and children's shoes. Full of energy and business acumen, capable of handling enterprises of magnitude, Mr. Kreider, in 1901, embarked in another industry, which promises to be of vast importance in the industrial world in Lancaster county. This was the formation of the Kreider Shoe Manufacturing Co., of Elizabethtown, Lancaster county, which is a
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stock company, and of which he is both president and general manager. This concern turns out boys', youths' and little gents' shoes, and has already gained a prominent position in the trade. The other enterprises with which Mr. Kreider is prominently connected are the Lebanon Valley Savings & Loan Association, of which he is president, with headquarters at Lebanon, and the Washington Mutual Fire Insurance Company, of which he has long been a director. He has been treasurer of the Pennsylvania Shoe Manufacturers' Association since its organization September 19, 1899, and director and member of the executive committee.
Mr. Kreider has a happy home and is surrounded by a family of intelligent children. On April 26, 1885, he was united in marriage with Elizabeth Bucher Horst, who was born June 16, 1864. at what is known as Horst's Mill, half way between Schaefferstown and Cornwall. Mrs. Kreider is the daughter of Henry Horst, who was born at Horst's Mill, which he later owned, the property having been in the possession of his father and grand- father. It is one of the historic old homes of the county, settled very many years ago by German pioneers. Nine children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Kreider, as follows: Ammon; David Robert; Aaron S., Jr .; Henry H. : Alfred Joseph, who died in 1892, aged two years ; Clement ; Howard; Nancy ; and Elizabeth. Perhaps Mr. Kreider's first interest outside of the welfare of his family and the development of his large business organizations, is in the German Baptist Church, of South Annville, in which he is active, and to which he is a generous contributor. He is also a trustee of Elizabethtown College, an institution controlled by that denomination.
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