Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 1, Part 66

Author: J.H. Beers & Co
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: Chicago : J. H. Beers
Number of Pages: 1358

USA > Pennsylvania > Jefferson County > Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 1 > Part 66
USA > Pennsylvania > Centre County > Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 1 > Part 66
USA > Pennsylvania > Clarion County > Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 1 > Part 66
USA > Pennsylvania > Clearfield County > Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 1 > Part 66

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The subject of our sketch was born Septem- ber 21, 1843, and remained at the old home in

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

Howard township, Centre county, until he was about nineteen years of age, assisting in the farm work and attending the neighboring schools. He displayed decided mechanical ability, and making choice of the carpenter's trade began an appren- ticeship in 1862. The " dark days " of the Re- bellion were drawing on, and every loyal man felt the prompting within to aid as he could in the preservation of the Union. Young as he was, Mr. Holter left the carpenter's bench after six months of his apprenticeship had passed, and went to the front as a member of Company D, 45th P. V. I., under Capt. Austin Curtin. He continued in the service until the army was dis- banded, and received but one wound, and that a slight one, although he saw much severe fighting, especially in the battles of the Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Bethesda Church, Cold Harbor, North Anna, the long struggle before Petersburg and the final combat with Lee's forces. He was mustered out July 17, 1865, but he has since been for some time a member of the 46th Regi- ment Pennsylvania Militia. In 1876 he joined Centre County Veteran Club.

On his return from the war Mr. Holter re- sumed his work as an apprentice, and completed his preparation for his trade, which he has since followed successfully, six sawmills being among his list of large buildings constructed. In 1876 he added undertaking; and in this branch of work he formed a partnership in 1892 with J. H. Schenck. Mr. Holter is highly esteemed in busi- ness circles, but his popularity does not end there by any means. To mention the various offices which he has held would be to enumerate all the important places on the local ticket. He has been school director nine years; town coun- cilman six years; overseer of the door two years; chief burgess one term; assessor one year; county collector two years; supervisor one year; and for three years was secretary of the school board. He is a prominent member of the Grand Army Post, No. 262, at Howard, and served five years as cominander and three as adjutant. He also held the leading offices in the Patriotic Order Sons of America before their disbandment. While he is not identified with any Church, he gives generons support to all religious and phil- anthropic enterprises.

1874; Nannie K., born January 16, 1874, mar- ried Lot Thompson, of Liberty township, Cen- tre county, and their children were-Annie M., born June 2, 1895, died November 23, 1895; George C., born June 21, 1896; and Clarence Cameron, born December 1, 1897 ; Lizzie M., born August 1, 1875, is a successful school teacher, and resides with her parents; John S., born March 7, 1877, is an intelligent young man with fine literary taste, and is now employed as clerk in the "Syracuse Hotel " at Howard; Robert B., born January 19, 1879, is at home: Ella L., born May 23, 1881, died March 13, 1897 (She was a member of the M. E. Church and Epworth League); Mary A., born June 18, 1883, is at home; Jacob L., born April 12, 1885. died De- cember 26, 1888; David A., born February 19, 1887, Philip C., born January 28, 1889, Simon C. B., born September 4, 1892, and Henry W .. born July 26, 1894, are at home.

J ESSE CLEAVER, one of the representative and prominent citizens of the borough of Unionville, Centre county, is a native of that county, born February 5. 1844, on the banks of the Bald Eagle creek, not far from the present site of Unionville. He traces his ancestry back to Joshua Cleaver, who came to America from Wales, locating in New Jersey. He wedded Margaret , who lost her membership in the Society of Friends by her marriage, he being a member of the Church of England. He died in 1783, at Philadelphia, leaving his widow with four children :. Nathan, Jesse, Eunice and An- drew.

The youngest of this family, Andrew Cleaver. was bound out to Benjamin Tompkins, of Bucks county, Penn., with whom he remained until reaching the age of twenty-one, and then re- turned to his mother. He married Hannah Clark, a daughter of William and Hannah Clark, and one of their twelve children was Will- iam, the father of our subject. The grandfather was born December 4, 1783. and died January S. 1840, about one mile east of Curwensville, Penn. He was laid to rest in the Friends cemetery at Grampian Hills, Clearfield county.

William Cleaver was born in Clearfield. On June 30, 1868, Mr. Holter married Miss | Penn., April 20, 1811, and died March 30, 1857. Mary E. Hall, who was born June 30, 1849, the daughter of Robert and Mary (Armegast) Hall, . natives and lifelong residents of Union town- ship, Centre county. Mr. and Mrs. Holter have a bright, clever family of children. The eldest, Daniel W., born April 26, 1869, is at home: Frank E., born February 11, 1872, died May 5.

He was four times married, his first wife being Anna Way, whom he wedded in Centre county. and they had one son, Thomas W., who was born October 13, 1834. and is now a farmer of Bedford county, Penn. After the death of his first wife. Mr. Cleaver married Kezialı Griest, of Bald Eagle Valley, who was born September 3.

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

1810, and died May 14, 1846. She was a daugh- ter of Amos and Phoebe (Swain) Griest, natives of Chester county, Penn., who removed to York county, where her father spent his remaining days. By this union Mr. Cleaver had three children: Charles G., who was born November 22, 1841, and is now engaged in farming in Bed- ford county, Penn .; Jesse, subject of this sketch; and a daughter who died in infancy. For his third wife, Mr. Cleaver wedded Hannah Kirk, of Lumber City, Clearfield county, and to them was born a son, Isaac K., now residing in the State of Washington, whose birth occurred March 28, 1850. After her death he married Louisa Garretson, widow of Isaac Garretson, and one child graced their union: William P., born in February, 1857.

Jesse Cleaver obtained a good practical edu- cation in the common and select schools of his day, and subsequently followed the profession of teaching during the winter seasons, while the summer months were spent in agricultural pur- suits. Soon after the death of his mother he went with his father to Clearfield county, where he remained until the latter was called to his final rest in 1857. He then made his home with friends for about three or four years, after which he served a three-years' apprenticeship under a carpenter and cabinet maker of Curwensville, and later followed those occupations for a time. During the oil excitement he was induced to go to the oil regions, where he assisted in the erec- tion of many of the first derricks and engine houses in the famous Pithole City, which rose, flourished and faded, as it were, in a day. Later, for a time, he boated oil on Oil creek and the Al- legheny river to Franklin. In the meanwhile he had studied surveying under the direction of an old and competent surveyor, and has now for over twenty-two years followed that occupation.

On March 31, 1869, Mr. Cleaver was united in marriage with Miss Edith Wickersham, of Adams county, Penn., and the names and dates of births of their children are as follows: Eva W., August 17, 1870; Florence N., September 9, 1872; Bertha K., August 23, 1876; and Edgar W., June 29, 1881. They are all still at home with their parents, and constitute a most inter- esting family.

Mrs. Cleaver was born in York county, Penn., September 22, 1835, a daughter of Abner and Anne (Griest) Wickersham, who spent their en- tire lives in that county. The father was born September 11, 1788, and died February 9, 1853. He was married in March, 1821, to Anna Griest, who was born May 16, 1796, and died April 25, 1863. Mr. Wickersham studied medicine, but

never engaged in its practice, turning his atten- tion exclusively to agricultural pursuits. He was a son of James and Sarah (Garrison) Wick- ersham, who were born in Chester county, and spent their last days in York county. The pa- ternal great-great-grandfather of Mrs. Cleaver was of English birth; her maternal great-grand- father, John Griest, came from England, and his. son Willing (her grandfather) was born near- Wilmington, Del. . The latter married Anne Mc- Millan, a native of Pennsylvania. Mrs. Cleaver is one of a family of four children, the others. being as follows: Maria (born March 15, 1822, died July 27, 1890), married William Cook, also. deceased; Josiah (born May 12, 1825, died Feb- ruary 19, 1882), and Mary A. (born May 15, 1831) is a resident of Adams county, Pennsyl- vania. From the age of sixteen years until 1891 (with the exception of two years at boarding school) Mrs. Cleaver successfully engaged in teaching, at different times having charge of both public and select schools. She is a highly cultured and refined lady, who with her husband belongs to the Society of Friends.

In politics Mr. Cleaver is an ardent Repub- lican, and is now the candidate of that party for the office of county surveyor, for which position he is eminently fitted, as by private surveying he is thoroughly familiar with the lands of Centre. county. In all respects he is accounted as a useful and desirable member of society, and is universally held in high esteem.

TOHN A. STOVER, who is probably one of the most highly respected agriculturists of Walker township, Centre county, has been an important factor in the development of the com- munity, promoting its material and moral inter- ests. His parents, George and Catharine (Welt- barger) Stover, were of German descent, and born near Spring Mills, Centre county. He was the eldest of their four children. (2) Benjamin, a farmer, living at Centre Hill, Centre county, married Sadie Byrd, and has four children- three sons and one daughter. (3) Howard, a fariner of Madisonburg, in the same county, wedded Mary Klinefelter, and has two children- Clark and Mand. (4) Samuel, whose home is on a farm near Zion, Centre county, married Emma Hull, and has two children-James and Mary.

Our subject was born near Farmers Mills, Centre county, and in the usual manner of fariner boys he was reared to manhood. In 186; he was united in marriage with Miss Eliza Markel, who died in 1870, leaving two children one son and one daughter: Catharine, born October 7.

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1867, is now the wife of Noah Breon, a farmer of Walker township, and they have two chil- dren-Elmer and Mary; Samuel W., born April 21, 1870, is still at home with his father. For his second wife, Mr. Stover wedded Johanna Dietz, in 1873. Her father, Jacob Dietz, by occupation a farmer, was a native of Germany, and in early manhood came to America, where he married. By Mr. Stover's second marriage there is a son, Harry, born June 2, 1875, and married to Kate Tate, of Nittany.

Mr. Stover has an excellent farm of twenty- five acres in Walker township, near Hublersburg, which he has under a high state of cultivation and well improved with good buildings. Like his ancestors for the last half century, he is a stalwart Democrat in politics, always casting his ballot with that organization. A sincere and conscientious Christian, he is a worthy member of the German Reformed Church, and is in fa- vor of any movement tending to benefit the com- munity, or calculated to elevate the tone of so- ciety in general. By his neighbors he is classed among the leading agriculturists of Walker town- ship, and by his honorable upright life has gained many friends.

U S. SHAFFER, the able and popular post- master at Madisonburg, Centre county, is a member of one of our oldest and best-known families.

John Adam and Sarah (Kern) Shaffer, grand- parents of our subject, were pioneer settlers in Brush Valley, Centre county, and their son, Adam Shaffer, Jr., our subject's father, was born September 12, 1815, at the " old Shaffer home,' near Madisonburg, and was in his day one of the leading men of the community, a successful farmer and influential Democrat, and a generous friend to every form of local improvement. Al- though the late Adam Shaffer was reared as a farmer's boy, with but limited educational ad- vantages, his native abilities enabled him to gather a goodly fund of practical information upon various subjects, and his shrewd judgment and well-known public spirit caused him to be selected by his fellow-citizens to different local offices, including those of overseer of the poor, assessor, tax collector, school director and super- visor, notwithstanding the fact that he cared little for public honors. He was a regular voter, considering it every citizen's duty to register his choice of men and measures. He was a large, well-built man, robust and a hard worker, ac- complishing much more by his systematic man- agement than others could in the same time. Aside from a short trip in the West his life was

spent in his native locality, and largely upon the homestead which he rented for some years pre- vious to his father's death, and then purchased from the other heirs. In 1874 he bought an- other home in the same locality, where he passed .his declining years. His death occurred in Feb- ruary, 1889, and his remains now rest in the cemetery at Madisonburg.

On September 12, 1840, he was married to Miss Mary Schmeltzer, daughter of George and Margaret (Beckle) Schmeltzer (of whom more extended mention is made below): She still occupies the home which his thoughtful care prepared for her. Both united with the Luth- eran Church in youth, and became devout and consistent followers of its teachings, and liberal contributors to its work. Adam Shaffer held various offices in the Church, and for twenty years was superintendent of the Sunday-school. It was never his habit to say to his children * Go to Sunday-school " the persuasive " come ", being typical of his attitude in leading them into paths of right doing, to which his own feet were famil- iar. Of four children, our subject was the eldest; (2) Maggie married C. F. Yearick, and died in Marion township, Centre county; (3) Emma, now Mrs. J. W. Hazel, resides at Spring Mills; (4) Ellis S. lives in Madisonburg.

U. S. Shaffer was born at the old home in Miles township, Centre county, May 21, 1848, and his early education was obtained mainly in Madisonburg, his first teacher being Jonathan Shaffer. His limitations in this respect have made him an earnest supporter of better facili- ties for the youth of to-day. At eighteen he was examined and licensed to teach, and a sec- ond application for a certificate proved success- ful also, but he never taught school. Two trips were taken to the West, during which he visited points in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin. but he has been too much attached to the old home to leave it permanently, On December 25, 1873, he was married in Marion township, Centre county, to Miss Mary Yearick, who was born August 25, 1850, daughter of Henry and Catherine (Linebaugh) Yearick. The young couple settled at the "old Schmeltzer farm, ' then the property of our subject's parents, and after renting for some years he purchased, in 1882, the "old Shaffer farin," which he sold after- ward to buy his present farm of 148 acres in Miles township, Centre county, a fine estate with good buildings showing liberal and progress- ive management. In the spring of 1890 Mr. Shaffer bought a pleasant residence in Madison- burg, where he has since resided. Two children -Estella A., and Ellis B .- brighten the home;

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the latter had a twin brother, who died in infan- cy, unnamed.

Mr. Shaffer and his wife found a ready wel- come in the best social circles of their new home. Mrs. Shaffer is a member of the Re- formed Church, but our subject is a Lutheran, at present holding the offices of elder and super- intendent of the Sunday-school, and since he was sixteen years old he has been an active worker therein as an official. He is a great reader, and keeps well-informed upon the issues of the day. Politically, he is a stanch Demo- crat, and he has held various positions, serving as tax collector at his old home and as school director in the Madisonburg district. In July, 1893, he was appointed to his present office of postmaster, and in the discharge of his duties he displays ability and faithfulness. In the councils of his party his advice is highly valued, and he takes an unfailing interest in the practical work of the organization.

Mrs. Adam Shaffer, our subject's mother, is a member of the well-known Schmeltzer family, which is now without a male representative in Miles township, Centre county, where her ances- tors were early settlers. Her grandfather, Con- rad Schmeltzer, was born February 27, 1768, in Germany, where he was married in early man- hood to Miss Margaret Ginder, also a native of the Fatherland, born December 17, 1767. They were poor, and in order to make their way to the wider opportunities of this new country they mortgaged their labor as is shown by the follow- ing copy of an indenture which is preserved by U. S. Shaffer as an interesting relic of the past :

Philadelphia.

This indenture Witnesseth-That Conrad Schmeltzer and Margaret, his wife, of their own free will have put them- selves as servants to Henry and Fdk. Spang -- for the consider- ation of forty-one pounds, three-eighths of which paid George Meade for their passage from Rotterdam- - as also for other good causes the said Conrad and Margaret Schmeltzer have bound and put themselves, and by their presents do bind and put themselves, servants to the said Henry and Fdk. Spang, to serve them, their executors and assigns from the day and date hercof for and during the full term of Three Years and six months from thence next ensuing. During all which terin the said servants, their said masters, their execu- tors, or assigns, faithfully shall serve, and that honestly, and obediently in all things, as good and dutiful servants ought to do. And the said Henry and Fdk. Spang, their executors and assigns, during the said terin shall find and provide for the said servants, sufficient meat, drink, apparel, washing, and lodging, and at the expiration of their terms they shall give said servants two complete suits of clothes (one whereof to be new), or fifteen pounds specie in lieu of the new suits, likewise to give them a cow. And for the true performance hereof both the said parties bind themselves unto each other by the said present. Two witnesses whereof they have hereunto interchangeably set their hands and seals. Dated the twenty-seventh day of August, seventeen hundred and ninety-one. CONRAD SCHMELTZER.

LEWIS FARMER, Register.

MARGARET SCHMELTZER.

The young couple arrived in the United States in the spring of 1791, and in February, 1795, they were free to seek a home for themselves. For some time Conrad Schmeltzer worked as a forgeman, having previously become familiar with that business, and in this manner he secured money to buy his first land, a new farm in what is now Kelly township, Union county. Their first home was a humble cabin, but their industry and economy brought prosperity, and it was re- placed by a large stone house, which is still stand- ing. He had a good store of gold and silver also, and as his sons grew to manhood he deter- mined to secure land for them. A trip through Ohio and Indiana failed to show a suitable loca- tion, and returning to Pennsylvania he bought a tract in Brush Valley a short distance west of Madisonburg and extending from mountain to mountain. To this place Conrad and his wife, with those of their children who were at home, removed in the fall of 1830, and there the last days of the brave old couple were spent, the wife dying October 8, 1850, and the husband on April 11, 1853. Both were buried at Madi- sonburg. At the time of their settlement upon the place a tenant was conducting a distill- ery, but Mr. Schmeltzer put a stop to that business at once. Six children were born to Conrad and Margaret Schmeltzer: (1) John, who died at an early age; (2) George, who is mentioned more fully below; (3) Margaret, Mrs. Tatusman; (4) Mary (Mrs. John Heckle), who died in Kelly township, Union county; (5) Jacob. who died in Ohio, and (6) Katy, who never mar- ried, and was for years prior to her death her father's amanuensis and bookkeeper.

George Schmeltzer, Mrs. Shaffer's father, was born August 3, 1794. in Bucks county, Penn .. and was but a child when his parents moved to their first farm, where as he grew to manhood he learned the business of farming, in which the greater portion of his after life was spent. He was a man of rather short stature and stout build, very energetic as a worker, peaceable and friendly in disposition, and although he talked very little he always meant what he said. In politics he was a Democrat, and various town- ship offices were creditably filled by him, while he was also active in religious matters as a devout member of the Lutheran Church. He was mar- ried, in 1815, in Bucks county, to Miss Margaret Beckle, who was born December 27, 1792, and they had eight children, whose names with dates of birth are here given: Esther, July 21, 1810. is the widow of Joseph Gramley, of Kebersburg; John, September 4, 1817, was a farmer in Steph- enson county, Ill., where his death occurred;

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Mary, born in May, 1819, is the mother of our subject; George, Jr., November 1, 1820, was at one time a practicing physician at Madisonburg, but died at the opening of his career; Jacob, March 5, 1823, died in Dakota, Ill., where he was in business as a grain dealer; Frances, De- cember 3, 1825, married John Shaffer; Benjamin, March 13, 1828, resides in Dakota, Ill .; Hannah M., November 28, 1832, married John Laurer, and died in Stephenson county, Ill. The mother of these children died December 10, 1845, and on October 14, 1850, Mr. Schmeltzer married Miss Regina Wagner, a native of Sugar Valley, born June 15, 1806. She died January 25, 1879, leaving no issue.

After his first marriage George Schmeltzer remained at his father's farm for a few years, and then moved to the vicinity of White Deer Hole and rented a farm on the Muncy river. At the time the dam was built there, he took charge of the boarding shanty for the contractors, and dur- ing the summer of 1830 he had often as many as 200 men to feed. In the fall of that year he would have accompanied his father to the new home in Brush Valley, but extra inducements were offered him to remain where he was, and he did not rejoin the family until the spring of 1831. He located on the northern portion of the new tract in an old log house, the ends of the logs being not yet sawed off. Later a dwelling was built, which is still occupied by the owners of the farm. After the death of his first wife he re- moved to Madisonburg, where he built a new residence, and his death occurred there April 26, 1878.

A BSALOM SHADE TIPTON, who departed this life February 25, 1884, was one of the. leading and influential citizens of Howard town- ship, Centre county.

William Tipton, his father, was of English origin, born in Cumberland county, Penn., Jan- uary 13, 1773, and as early as 1796 came to what is now Centre county. He married Eliza- beth Shade, who was born May 30, 1780, and their children were: Mary, born August 26, 1802. married James Heverly, and died December 10. 1836; Sarah, born February 27, 1806, married Isaac W. Meese; William, Jr., resided at How- ard, and died January 21, 1850; Washington died April 16, 1839; Nancy, born April 22, 1815. married Samuel Gardner: Caroline M .. boru August 16, 1817, married George Spearing, and died in 1879: Absalom S., born January 26, 1820; and Jemima E., born June 3. 1826, mar- . ried Levi Fuller.

The old homestead, where our subject was born and lived to manhood, is now the site of much of the town of Howard. In early life he was of a delicate constitution, and after he re- ceived an education in the neighborhood schools. at the age of seventeen began teaching school, which he followed several terms; but finding it too confining, he gave it up. While yet young. at his father's death he assumed the management of the estate, assisted by his mother and sisters. In 1846 he bought out the other heirs. He laid out the town of Howard, selling the first lot to Samuel Brickley. After he quit the occupation of a teacher he became engaged in the lumber business, which, in connection with farming, he carried on throughout life. He farmed exten- sively, and took a great interest in the vocation: his buildings were fine and modernly equipped. while all other improvements corresponded, evi- dencing the neat and progressive farmer that he was. In the lumbering business he gave employ- ment to many men, often having on his pay roll as many as eighty men. At the time of his death he had arranged plans all drawn and much of the material purchased, for the erection of an elegant residence on the old Tipton homestead. which later, however, was abandoned.

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Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 1, Part 66

Author: J.H. Beers & Co Publication date: 1898 Publisher: Chicago : J. H. Beers Number of Pages: 1358

Author: J.H. Beers & Co
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: Chicago : J. H. Beers
Number of Pages: 1358