USA > Pennsylvania > Dauphin County > Commemorative biographical encyclopedia of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania : containing sketches of prominent and representative citizens and many of the early Scotch-Irish and German settlers. Pt. 2 > Part 87
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John attended school, worked at home and lived out among the farmers and thus passed his youth. He later drove a huckster team for his stepfather, Benjamin Reigle, and at the age of sixteen years drove team to Pottsville. He was married, in Mifflin township, December 30, 1844, to Miss Susan Lenker, daughter of Jacob and Rebecca (Hoy) Lenker. After marriage he lived for one year with his stepfather and then bought twenty and a half acres of land near Berrys- burg and was engaged in gardening for three years, after which he sold the place and took up his residence in one of the houses of his stepfather, in which he re- mained three years. He next farmed the place of William Lenker two years and then bought a farm of one hundred and nine acres in Upper Paxton township, on which he located and has lived there for thirty years. Mr. Forney now owns seven farms, on all of which there are good buildings and first- class improvements, containing altogether four hundred and sixty-eight acres. In February, 1886, he bought mill property of Mr. Falkenmeyer and has since operated the mill in connection with farming. His children are: George W., married to Susan Lenker, and farms in Upper Paxton town- ship ; William H., first married Lizzie Whit- comb, of Centre county, Pa., and secondly married Lizzie Lenker; Kate, married Joseph Matter, resides in Washington town- ship; Sarah, married Harry Keefer, resides in Elizabethville; Daniel Peter, laborer, in Upper Paxton township; John L., farmer, married to Annic Bohner, resides in Upper Paxton township; Jacob E., married to Bertha Enders, a farmer in Upper Paxton township; Lizzie Alice, married Carson Kromer, Millersburg, Pa .; Carrie Agnes, wife of M. D. Bonawitz, head miller for Mr. Forney. In his political views Mr. Forney is a Republican and takes an active part in the interests of his party. In Upper Paxton township he served as supervisor, tax col-
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lector and constable. He is also an active and energetic member of the United Brethren church.
HARTMAN, HENRY, farmer, Washington township, was born in Lykens township, Dauphin county, Pa., August 2, 1821. Henry Hartman, grandfather, is supposed to have been born in Chester county, Pa. He was reared a farmer, and was married, in that county, to Sarah Horner. He came with his family to Dauphin county and settled in Williams Valley between 1794 and 1800, when he built a grist mill, which he at once sold, having learned that its site was mort- gaged to parties in England, after which he bought a small tract of land in the same val- ley. He prospected a great deal for mines. On the advice of his brother Michael, a cat- tle buyer, who frequently visited these val- leys, he sold his place and located in Lykens Valley, on two hundred acres of land near the present site of Gratz, from which he cleared up a farm, built house and barn, and to which he added more land. He partici- pated in the Revolutionary war, and died in 1833, aged eighty-four years. His wife sur- vived him twelve or fifteen years, and was twelve years his junior. They had thirteen children ; six of the daughters went to Phila- delphia and married there; John died in Lykens Valley, and Michael died in Phila- delphia.
The father was born in Chester county, Pa., January 19, 1794, and was a mere boy when he came with his parents to Dauphin county. He learned the trade of mason, but was principally engaged in farming. He married in Lykens Valley and settled on a farm of one hundred and eighteen acres in Lykens township. At one time he owned eight or nine farms, and died comparatively wealthy, leaving to each of his children a farm and a sum of money. His death oc- curred in Lykens township, September 11, 1879, in the eighty-sixth year of his age. He and his wife Magdalena lived together over sixty years. She was a daughter of Peter Imshoffstall and Catherine Hoffner, his wife, and was born in Washington township, Oc- tober 27, 1797. She died April 16, 1879. Their children were: John, Henry, Simon, Elizabeth, Jacob, Beneven, Caroline, Moses, Michael, Catherine, and Mary.
Henry received a good common school education in German and attended the Eng- lish schools also, but only for a short time.
He was put to work when quite young cut- ting wood and threshing grain, both before and after school hours in the winter time. The threshing was done with a flail and by tramping with horses. He was married, in Washington township, November 1, 1842, to Margaret, daughter of George and Barbara Snyder, born in Northumberland county, Pa., November 12, 1819, and died in Wash- ington township, September 16, 1873. Their children are: Cornelius S .; Emma J., mar- ried Samuel Row, died from burns by cloth- ing taking fire; one child died in infancy : Rebecca Ellen, at home; Henry J .; Cathe- rine Margaret, Mrs. Joseph Sultzbach.
After marriage he located on a farm of his father's in Washington township, then Mifflin township, where he remained five years with his father, bought a mill in Washington township, which he operated for five years and then sold it and bought his former place from his father, where he lived until coming to his present place in 1876, which he bought in 1875. He also owns four farms and wood land. In 1863 Mr. Hartman was appointed county com- missioner to serve the unexpired term of Henry Moyer, who died in office, and in 1864 he was elected to a full term of five years for the same office. He was formerly a Whig and came into the Republican party. He has filled the office of supervisor, assessor, school director, judge of elections, and almost all township offices. He was married to his present wife February 9, 1884. She was Amanda Cooper, daughter of John and Mary (Miller) Cooper, and was born in Washington township, July 29, 1841. To this marriage there is no issue. Mr. Ilart- man is a member of the Lutheran church and is now a trustee of the church, and for twenty years has been the superintendent of the Sunday-school.
- HERMAN, HARRY, farmer, Washington township, was born in Mifflin township, now Washington township, Dauphin county, Pa., November 7, 1833 ; son of John and Rebecca (Heller) Herman. The father was first mar- ried to Susan Heller, and their children are : Mary, deceased, Josiah, and Sarah. He next married Rebecca Heller, and their children are : Harry and Mary. He next married Rebecca, daughter of John Keener, widow of Michael Matter, and their children are: John, Rebecca, Thomas, Michael, and Jacob. Lastly he married Lavina Dubendorf, widow
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of Charles Matter, and their children are: Frances Ann, Samuel, and Lavina. The father removed to Clinton county, Pa., in 1876, and died near Lock Haven. His last wife survives him.
Harry attended the subscription schools of his native township and remained on the home farm until his marriage, after which he located on one of the farms of his wife's father and which came to him through mar- riage. It consists of one hundred and thirty- three acres. He owns another farm of one hundred and sixty-two acres and also one- half interest in the grist mill with Nathaniel Miller. He was married, in Mifflin town- ship, in 1854, to Miss Mary Koppenheffer. Their children are : Mary Elizabeth, wife of Henry P. Hartman ; John Milton and Simon A., twins; Laura, widow of George Hart- man ; Harry Thomas, farmer, in Washing- ton township; Ida Rebecca, maiden lady ; and Michael H., at home. Mr. Herman is a Republican in his political views and has been supervisor of the township. He is a member of the Lutheran church.
-HOKE, AARON D., manufacturer of half hose, Elizabethiville, Pa., was born in Eliza- bethville, Dauphin county, Pa., July 25, 1868; only child of Jonathan and Clara (Matter) Hoke, both of whom are living. He attended the common schools of his native place until he was eighteen years of age, when he went to learn the trade of currier with Mr. Bauder, near Elizabeth- ville, with whom he served two and a half years, and then went to Philadelphia, where he worked at his trade in some of the lead- ing shops for one and a half years. He then removed to. Middletown, where he worked with the J. W. Rife Leather Com- pany for three years. His next move was to Meyerstown, where he worked at his trade for two years. During those years in which he worked as a journeyman he was receiving good wages, and was saving his money. At the end of two years he came to Elizabethville and, in April, 1895, with Buffington, Enders and Hoke, formed the Enterprise Hosiery Company. He had the satisfaction of being able to embark in business with money saved from his own earnings, and is the architect of his own fortune, having supported himself since he was ten years old, and has made his way unaided. The capacity of the factory is fifty dozen per day, and a market for the
goods is found throughout the State. Mr. Hoke was married, in Middletown, Pa., Sep- tember 22, 1891, to Miss Katy E. Bowman, of Williamstown, Pa. They have two chil- dren : Wilmer Bowman, born November 9, 1893, and Elsie Irene, born June 16, 1895. Mr. Hoke has been active in promoting the success of the Republican party. He is a member of the United Brethren church, and is trustee of the official board, Sunday- school superintendent, and assistant class leader.
-HOKE, JONATHAN, shoemaker, Washington township, was born in Washington town- ship, Dauphin county, Pa., December 25, 1825; son of Isaac and Catherine (Botts) Hoke. The grandfather, Rudolph Hoke, was a native of Pennsylvania, and died in Washington, then Mifflin township. The father was born in Washington township, then Mifflin township, in 1804. He learned the trade of shoemaker and followed that occupation. He owned a farm in Jackson township on which he lived for some years. After the death of his wife he went West and settled on a farm in Indiana. Afterwards he lived some time with his daughter, Eme- line Shoop, and moved with her to Kansas. He returned to his old home and died at Eliza- bethville in 1893, aged eighty-nine years. His wife died many years ago and both are buried at Elizabethville. Their children were : Mary Ann, Jonathan, Catherine, Will- iam, deceased, Elizabeth, Sarab, and Emeline, Mrs. Shoop.
Jonathan attended the subscription schools of his native township and when young learned the trade of shoemaker, and has followed that occupation most of his life. He was for some time employed in building the Summit Branch railroad, received wages for his services at the rate of $1 per day. He was married, in Washington township in 1857, to Miss Carrie E. Walter, and their children are: Aaron D., and Catherine, died in infancy. After marriage he went to housekeeping in Elizabethville, where he has since resided, and where he owns several lots. He is a Republican in politics, and has served as tax collector and in other offices. Ile was reared in the Reformed church.
KLINGER, JONATHAN, retired farmer, was born in Washington township, Dauphin county, Pa., March 26, 1840; son of Alex ander and Magdaline (Smeltz) Klinger.
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George Klinger, the great-grandfather, was a resident of Lancaster county, where it is supposed he lived most of his life. Peter Klinger, the grandfather, was born in Lan- caster county, Pa., and was a farmer and miller by occupation. He came to Klingers- town at a very early day, and later opened two grist mills and owned a farm. He died at Klingerstown about 1850. He married a Miss Stonebreaker and their children were: Philip, deceased; Peter, deceased ; Dietz ; Hanna ; George F .; John ; Adam; Daniel, resides near Klingerstown ; and Mrs. Weist. The father was born near Klingerstown in 1805, and followed farming principally and also worked some at the miller's trade. Some time after his marriage he came to Wash- ington township and bought the farm of seventy-three acres on which his son Jona- than now lives, which was a tract of wild land at that time and which he cultivated and occupied until his death in 1876. His wife died in 1878. Their children were: Simon, farmer, in Washington township; Beneval, died aged nineteen years ; Cathe- rine, widow of Jacob Bowman, Halifax ; Daniel, farmer and watch maker, Washing- ton township; Jonathan ; Sarah, Mrs. Ed- ward Romberger, Washington township ; Elias, farmer in Lykens township; Marietta, Mrs. Thomas P. Moyer, Washington town- ship. The father was a Republican and also took an active part in church matters.
Jonathan attended the common schools of his native place until he was about nine years of age, when he went to work on the farm, where he grew to manhood and was employed in cultivating the place. He was married, in Washington township, April 19, 1869, to Miss Hettie Uhler, who was born in the township. For ten years after his mar- riage Mr. Klinger cultivated the old home farm on the shares. His father died in 1876 and his mother in 1888. In 1878 he bought and occupied the farm until 1893, when he rented his farm and retired to Elizabethville and occupied a house he had built in 1892. He has no children.
-LENKER, HENRY, farmer, was born in Washington township, Dauphin county, Pa., September 17, 1833; son of Philip and Sally (Holtz) Lenker. The father was born in Mifflin township and was reared a farmer. He followed that occupation in connection with weaving. He died on the old home- stead farm in Upper Paxton township and
his wife preceded him in death some years. Their children were: Catherine, deceased ; Leah; William, farmer in Perry county ; Henry ; John D., deceased ; Edward, farn :- ing the homestead; Salome, deceased; David K., farmer 'on the homestead; Hannah, widow of Jacob Zimmerman ; Elizabeth, maiden lady ; Amelia, maiden lady ; Mary, wife of David Lark, and Nathaniel, deceased. Henry received his education in the public schools and was reared a farmer. He re- mained at home until his eighteenth year and then for a few months worked out in differ- ent parts of the State.
He was married, at Berrysburg, Pa .. by Rev. David Sell, February 18, 1858, to Miss Elizabeth Longabauch. Their children are: Sarah Elizabeth, born February 4, 1859; Charles Edwin, born August 15, 1860; David Walker, born October 19, 1862; Robert Na- thaniel, born January 22, 1865; Henry Grant, born June 4, 1867 ; Philip Melancthon, born July 14, 1870; William Peter, born August 18, 1874, and Mary Salome, born April 16, 1879. After marriage he resided in Upper Paxton township and removed later to Mif- flin, returning again to Upper Paxton, locat- ing on his present place, where he has since had his residence. He is a member of the Lutheran church.
LENKER, GEORGE N., farmer, Washington township, was born in Upper Paxton town- ship, Dauphin county, Pa., February 25, 1842; son of Ludwig and Amelia (Dietrick) Lenker. The father was born on the farm now owned by his son George N., where he grew to manhood and spent his life, with the exception of two years, during which he lived on one of his farms in Upper Paxton township. He retired to Elizabethville one year prior to his death, in 1871, at the age of seventy-three years. His wife survived him eleven years, and their children were : Catherine, John, Elizabeth, Susan, Jacob, Annie, Stephen, Joseph, and George N.
George was about two years old when his parents located in Washington township. where he was brought up on the farm and attended the public schools. He remained at home until his marriage, after which he located on a part of the old homestead, which he bought, consisting of one hundred and thirty-three acres, of which he subsequently sold sixty acres. In 1890 he built his pres- ent house and built a fish pond, which he stocked with carp, catfish and trout. Five
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years later he built a wind mill for grinding chicken feed, and planted three thousand two hundred fruit trees of the varieties of apple, pear, peach, etc. He was married, in Washington township, in September, 1863, to Amanda Emerich, a native of that town- ship. Their children are: Elmer, went to Texas, and from there in 1885 went to Ar- kansas, where he now resides and is in the Jumber business ; Mary, married Aaron Nov- inger, resides in Arkansas; Alice, married Daniel Riegle, resides in Washington ; Annie, married Oliver Jury and lives at home ; George, also at home. Mr. Lenker in his political views is a Democrat, with leaning toward the Prohibition party. He is a member and also a trustee of the Evan- gelical church.
-"MESSNER, JACOB, hotel keeper, Loyalton, Pa., was born in Lower Mahanoy township, Northumberland county, Pa., March 22, 1861; son of Philip and Mary (Dockery) Messner. The father was born in the same township in 1817, and was educated in the subscrip- tion schools of his time. He was brought up a farmer, but learned the trade of car- penter when a young man and followed that occupation and bridge building and grading roads and other kinds of contracting. He came to Tower City about 1871 with his family, having been engaged there since 1868. He was one of the first builders at Tower City and helped to build up the place, having erected twenty-seven houses, and the Pottsville road and many bridges. In 1873 he located on a farm of fifty acres between the Susquehanna river and the railroad and up to the time of his death gave his attention principally to farming. He died on his farm in 1883 and his wife died in February, 1884, and they are buried side by side in the ceme- tery at Vera Cruz, Northumberland county. Their children were: Isaac, Elizabeth, Re- becca, David, John, Ellen, Emma, Julia, and Jacob.
Jacob attended school in his native place until he was nine years of age, when, in 1871, he removed with his parents to Tower City, where he continued in school for two years, after which he was employed in the mines at $3.50 per week. His father allowed him to retain his wages and in one year he saved $90. He completed his education in the schools of Upper Paxton township, where his parents located on a farm. He remained at home until he reached manhood, when he
engaged in farming on his own account. He was married, in Lower Paxton township, to Miss Emma Searer, daughter of George Searer. After marriage he located on the John Loutz place, which he farmed from 1873 to 1889. During 1890 he was engaged in contracting and building houses. The carpenter trade came natural to him, as his father was of that occupation. In 1891 he was employed by the Pennsylvania Railroad Company in bridge and carpenter work, between Harrisburg and Renovo, and as- sisted in repairing the bridges after the awful flood of 1891. In 1892 he came to Loyalton and engaged in hotel keeping with Jonathan Zerby and subsequently became proprietor of the Loyalton Hotel. His children are : George, Philip A., Mary E., Esther S., Harry A., and Lloyd. In politics Mr. Messner is a Republican and is a member of the Lutheran church, of which he was once a trustee.
MATTER, . DANIEL D., blacksmith and farmer, Washington township, was born in the house in which he now lives, in Wash- ington township, Dauphin county, Pa., Feb- ruary 11, 1852. Michael Matter, the grand- father, was born in Mifflin, now Washington township, March 29, 1791, the name of whose father is not known, and he was the first to come into Lykens Valley. The grandfather was reared a farmer boy and followed farm- ing as his occupation. He was first married, September 29, 1814, to Annie Catherine Cooper, who died in 1824, aged thirty-six years, and by whom he had five children : David, Christopher, Ann, Margaret, Levi, and Christianna. He was married the second time, March 29, 1825, to Margaret Keener, daughter of Philip Keener. Their children are : Catherine Ann, Charles, James, Martin, Sarah, Conrad, Elizabeth, Reuben, Lavina, Lewis, and Mary. His second wife died May 7, 1854. She was previously married to John Herman, by whom she had five children. She was the mother of seventeen children. Levi, the father, was born in Mifflin, now Washington township, November 24, 1820, and received his education in subscription schools, the tuition being two cents per day. He was reared on the farm. His father dying when he was about sixteen years old, he farmed the home place for two years, and at the age of eighteen years he became an apprentice at the blacksmith trade in his native township, with George Stabler, and afterwards followed this occupation. In 1885
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he sold the old home farm to his son Levi, and moved to another farm, where he died December 6, 1895. He was a member of St. John's Lutheran church, and is buried in the cemetery. His wife Esther still survives. She was born in Lykens township, November 16, 1841, and is a daughter of Samuel Duben- dorf. Her children are: Emma Jane, born February 12, 1844; Mrs. John Everson, of Clinton county, near Lock Haven; Elizabeth, wife of Jacob H. Jury, of Washington town- ship; Amos, died aged seventy-eight years; Daniel D .; Sarah Ellen, wife of Amos L. Koppenhaver, Harrisburg.
Daniel D. attended school in his native place from the age of six years until he was eighteen years of age, working on the home farm during the summer months. He then served a three years' apprenticeship at the blacksmith trade, after which he was for two years in partnership with his father, and then bought the shop of his father and began business for himself which he continued up to April, 1896, when he turned his attention to farming. He is the owner of the old home farm, having purchased it from his father in 1885, and it now consists of thirty-seven acres. He was married, in Washington township, November 29, 1873, to Miss Emma Susan Lask, who was born in Mifflin town- ship, October 15, 1856, and is a daughter of Daniel and Susan (Hoy) Lask. Their chil- dren are: Carrie Minerva, born September 2, 1874; Maggie Irena, born February 10, 1877 ; Aaron Franklin, born December 13, 1878; Warren Lask, born February 9, 1886. Mr. Matter has interested himself in the suc- cess of the Republican party and has served as township auditor for one term. He is a member of the Lutheran church, in which he has served as deacon for three years, and as elder for two years.
- MESSERSMITH, EDWARD, wagon manufac- turer, was born at Elizabethville, Dauphin county, Pa., December 22, 1853; son of Adam and Polly (Welker) Messersmith. The father died at Elizabethville in 1888. The mother died when Edward was four years old. He was one of four children : William, James, Edward, and Henry, deceased. The father was a Republican in politics and was not a member of any church. Edward was cdu- cated in the common schools of his native place. At the age of sixteen years he started to learn the blacksmith trade with William Palton at Elizabethville, with whom he re-
mained nine months and then worked three months with Samuel Snyder, near Loyalton, after which he was employed in the Will- iamstown collieries as blacksmith for the company. His wages at one time were $15 per week and he was at different times en- ployed by the company. In 1893 he formed a partnership with Mr. Byerly for the manu- facture of wagons at Elizabethville, and they have built up a large and profitable business. Mr. Messersmith was married, at Berrysburg, to Miss Mary Snyder, by whom he has seven children : Nora J., Sarah E., Harry, Walter W., George A., Mary E., and Della Irene. He is a Republican in his po- litical views, but he never sought office. His religious fellowship is with the Lutherans.
MOYER, REV. C. C., pastor of the Evan- gelical churches of Elizabethville, Oakdale, Lykens and Wiconisco, was born in Bloom- ing Glen, Bucks county, Pa., March 28, 1867 ; son of Christian F. and Mary (Clymer) Moyer. Rudolph, the grandfather, spelled his name Meyer, previous to that it had been spelled Maier. He was a farmer in Mont- gomery county, Pa., where he died. The father was born in Montgomery, where he was reared to manhood and became a farmer. He was married there December 2. 1840, and removed to a farm in Bucks county, where he died October 28, 1894. His wife was born October 25, 1825, in New Briton, Bucks county, and died May 10, 1882. Their children were: William, a farmer, on the homestead ; Abraham, shoc. maker, employed in the factory; Henry, agent; John, died aged twenty-eight years ; Rev. C. C., and several children died in in- fancy. The father is a Republican in poli- tics.
Rev. C. C. attended the schools of his na- tive place until he was seventeen years of age. While teaching and doing other kinds of work he pursued a course of chemical and theological studies at home. For ten years he was a telegrapher, and served as ticket agent, telegraph operator and station agent; has accepted twenty-eight different positions, and during this time he continued his studies for the ministry and educated himself. He remained for two years at Northampton, one year at Nazareth and Bath. He was then sent to Elizabethville in 1895. ITe was married, at Perkasie, Pa., April 7, 1887, to Miss Alice M., daughter of David Deily. Their children are: Elva,
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