Genealogical and biographical annals of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Vol. 1, Part 18

Author: Floyd, J.L., & Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Chicago, J. L. Floyd & Co.
Number of Pages: 1090

USA > Pennsylvania > Northumberland County > Genealogical and biographical annals of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Vol. 1 > Part 18

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Michacl Lenker, son of Adam (or John Adam) Lenker, married Catharine Einerick, and they were farming people in Lower Mahanoy township. She was born March 11, 1791, and died Sept. 18, 1860. They had children as follows: Abraham, Polly, Isaac (born Jan. 22, 1818, died March 27, 1881), Sarah, Catharine, Lydia, Elizabeth, and Jacob.

John Adam Lenker, son of Adam (or John Adam), born Aug. 14, 1789, died Oct. 13, 1861. Ile lived in Lower Mahanoy township, his home- stead being now the property of Jacob F. Lenker, and was a farmer and stonemason. He and his wife Maria (M.) Bobb, born May 13, 1792, died March 30, 1864, are buried at Zion's Stone Valley church. Their children were: Rev. Nicholas, Adam, David, John B., Rev. Michael (who died at Lykens, Pa.), Jacob, Elizabeth (married Joseph Negley), Mary (married David Ditty), Lydia (married John Wetzel) and Catharine (married Jonathan Bonawitz).

Jacob Lenker, third son of Adam (or John Adam), the pioneer, according to one account was married in Lebanon county, this State, and had no children. This seems doubtful, however, as his children are elsewhere given as follows: Jacob, John, Simon (who had a son Peter), Su- sanna (Mrs. Losch), Christina (who married John Schaffer and died when nearly ninety-three years old), Catharine (never married), Peter, and maybe others.

Jacob Lenker, born 1809, son of Jacob, lived in Lower Mahanoy township, and died on his farm there in 1880. By trade he was a weaver of carpet and cloth, but he also operated his farm, the place now owned by Isaac Batdorf. He was a Lutheran member of Zion's Church, and he and his wife Susanna (Haupt) are buried at that church. Their family consisted of four sons and two daughters: Catharine, who married Isaac Schroyer ; Jacob, who settled in Iowa; Benjamin ; Henry, who lived and died in Lower Mahanoy township ; Reuben, of Shamokin, Pa .; and Helena, who died nnmarried.

Benjamin Lenker. son of Jacob, was born in Lower Mahanoy township Aug. 29, 1836, where Michael Lenker now lives, and received his edu- cation in the pay schools conducted in the neigh- borhood during his boyhood. Learning the trade of stonemason, he followed it for twenty-four years, and he also engaged in farming. Though he began life in hum- ble circumstances, he became a substantial man through his own industry and thrift. and he is a much respected citizen of his township, which he has served officially four years as school director.

NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Politieally he is a Republican. He and his fam- tending the public schools of his township he went ily worship at Zion Union Church, at Stone Val- ley, in which he held office for many years, having served as deacon. elder and trustee. In 1863 Mr. Lenker married Mary Wert, daughter of Michael and Lydia ( Bubb) Wert, and she died July 31, 1887, aged fifty-eight years, six months, seven days. Four children were born to their union : Jacob. F .; Irving: Gertie, wife of Oscar Harder, a grocer of Allentown, Pa .; and Boaz, of Allentown, a milk dealer.

JACOB F. LENKER, son of Benjamin, was born June 16, 1864, on the home farm, and obtained his early education in the publie schools of the" vieinity. Subsequently he spent considerable' of his time at home in study, and at the age of twen- ty-one he received a lieense to teach, his first ex- perience being at Blasser's schoolhouse, in his native township. Altogether he taught eighteen years in the same distriet, making an exeellent reeord for efficiency, while his personal popular- ity made him many stanch friends among his pu- pils and associates. In 1886 he began farming on his own aceount, and he has since followed that calling, owning a nice home place of thirty aeres, which was the homestead property of his maternal grandfatlier, Michael Wert. He owns another tract of 117 acres, and 135 acres of wood- land, having in all over three hundred acres. ' Mr. Lenker is one of the intelligent and progressive cit- izens of his locality, and though he has made a success of his personal ventures he has also ill- terested himself in publie affairs, having served as auditor and justice of the peace: he was first eleeted to the latter office in 1901. and re-elected at the end of his term. In political opinion he is a Republican. During the year 1886 he spent three months out West.

.On Aug. 30, 1886, Mr. Lenker married Mary Frymoyer, daughter of Isaae and Catharine (Bow- man) Frymover, and they have one child, a son Osear. The family are members of Stone Valley Church.

Jacob Frymover, grandfather of Mrs. Lenker, lived in Lower Mahanoy township, where he fol- lowed farming. He died, however, in Snyder county, Pa. We have the following record of his children : Isaae, Jacob (of Iowa). Catharine (married Isaac Phillips), Royal (married An- drew Ziegler ) , Polly ( Mrs. Hummel) and Harriet.

Isaac Frymover, son of Jaeob, was born in Lower Mahanoy township, this county. He and his wife Catharine (Bowman) are buried in Snyder eounty. Their children were: Seneries, William, George, Joseph, James, Jacob and Mary.

IRVING LENKER, son of Benjamin and Mary (Wert) Lenker, was born March 14, 1865; at Hickory Corners, in Lower Mahanoy township, and was there roared, passing his early years in the manner of the average farm boy. After at- lin, Pa., and they had three children :

to Berrysburg Academy, receiving his first license to teach when only sixteen years old, from Coun- ty Superintendent Wolverton. He tanght his first term at Lenker's schoolhouse, in Lower Mahanoy township, in the fall of 1883. From that time to the present he has taught in all twenty-two terms, three in Lower Mahanoy township, fifteen in Jackson township and the borough of Hern- don, and one term at Middleburg. Snyder county, where he was principal ; earlier in his career as an educator he was at Danville for one term. At Herndon he was engaged eleven terms in succes- sion, having been principal of the schools of that borough for a longer period than any other teach- er has served up to this writing. His efficiency could have no better commendation. He has also taught fifteen normal school sessions at Herndon. For two years he taught at Gowen City, this coun- ty. He is one of the oldest and one of the leading educators of this seetion. Mr. Lenker has always- been conscientious in the pursuit of his profes- sion, and he has continued his studies with a view of increasing his . efficiency. He furthered his early training by study at Lebanon Valley Col- lege. and graduated from Central Pennsylvania College (now known as Albright College) in 1890; the institution was then located at New Berlin, but has since been removed to Myerstown. He was granted a professional certificate in 1894 and a permanent certificate in 1892.

In 1892 Mr. Lenker took up his home at Hern- don, moving away in 1902, after his wife's death. For two years he was engaged in teaching at Gowen City, and for one year he was at Allen- town, as agent for the Prudential Life Insurance Company, returning to Herndon in 1905. He has since remained in the borough, where in De- cember, 1908, he established his present printing business and founded the Herndon News, of which he is editor as well as proprietor. The paper has the largest circulation of any journal in the bor- ough, and Mr. Lenker is the leading job printer there, doing all kinds of printing and also book- binding, his plant being well equipped. Though this business was a considerable departure from his former line of work he has found it congenial and profitable, and he has made a success of it by his customary thoroughness and attention to detail, profiting by his experiences and surmount- ing difficulties with characteristic steadiness. In political faith he is a Republican, and he has served five years as justice of the peace at Hern- don. His influence has always been given to the support of the best canses and his worth as a citizen has been demonstrated in his various ae- tivities.

On Oct. 28. 1891, Mr. Lenker married Ella Neiman, daughter of James Neiman. of New Ber- Mabel

NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Grace, Lena May and Rex Benjamin. Mrs. Len- boru to Mr. and Mrs. Lenker: John E., a civil ker died April 14, 1902. aged thirty-five years, engineer, who graduated from the Sunbury high school and from State College, at State College, Pa., and William G., a graduate of the Eastman Business College, at Pouglikeepsie, N. Y., who is now in business with his brother, under the name of the Selinsgrove Supply Company. and is buried at New Berlin. On Jan. 12. 1902. Mr. Lenker married ( second) Katie Wagner, daughter of Daniel and Mary ( Masser) Wagner, of Gowen City, Pa. They have a daughter. Mary Hilda. Mr. Lenker and his family worship with the Lutheran congregation of Zion Church at Herndon, of which he is a deacon. He sang in the choir for five years.

John B. Lenker, son of John Adam and Maria (Bobb) Lenker, was a native of Lower Mahanov township. He learned the trade of tailor, which he followed in Sunbury for about six years. Later he became a brick manufacturer and dealer in real estate, as such laying out "Lenker's Addition" to Sunbury ; he owned the greater part of the site of Purdytown. He was a man of affairs, influen- tial in the public life of Sunbury, where he served as school director, councilman, street commissioner and overseer of the poor. He was public-spirited. and had as much to do with the advancement of the place in other directions as he did in its ma- terial upbuilding, with which he was identified to a considerable extent. He built more than twenty- five houses in the borough. He was a prominent Freemason, a Republican in politics. and a Luth- eran in religion, being an active member of Zion's Church at Sunbury, which he served as member of the church council. He married Mary A. Gar- land, and they are buried in. Pomfret Manor ceme- tery at Sunbury. They had children as follows: W. G., of Sunbury: John N., of Minneapolis, Minn. ; J. Harris and David. twins : and Mary G., who is unmarried. All but John N. Lenker live in the old homestead at the corner of Fourth and Chestnut streets, Sunbury.

J. HARRIS LENKER, son of John B .. born .June 27, 1862, in Sunbury, is one of the prominent business men of that borough. He and his twin brother, David Lenker, are the members of the firm of the Sunbury Supply Company, with office and warehouse at No. 599 East Chestnut street, dealers in limes, sands, cements, fire clay, fire bricks, galvanized pipe. iron pipe, sewer pipe, plastering hair, common bricks, terra cotta ware. and all other building supplies, doing a large busi- ness. Mr. J. Harris Lenker is a director of the Sunbury Trust & Safe Deposit Company, presi- dent of the Middle Creek Electric Company. of Sunbury, and with his brother largely interested in Sunbury real estate as holders and dealers, buy- ing, building and selling.

On December 25, 1883, Mr. Lenker married Ida Badunian, daughter of Zacharias Badman, of Uniontown, Pa., who died in 1876 when a com- paratively young man, of smallpox, which he had contracted while visiting the Centennial Expo-i- tion at Philadelphia. Two children have been

Mr. Lenker and his family are members of Zion's Lutheran Church at Sunbury. He is a Republican on political questions.

DAVID LENKER, M. D., twin brother of J. Harris Lenker, was educated in the public schools of Sunbury, the Missionary Institute at Selinsgrove, Wittenberg College, at Springfield, Ohio. and Jef- ferson Medical College, Philadelphia, graduating April 12, 1889. Returning to Sunbury, he was appointed physician at the Northumberland Coun- ty prison, holding that office for several terms. But medical practice did not appeal to him, and he became associated with his brother, J. Harris Len- ker, in business and in the manufacture of bricks, which latter they continued for six years, even- tually organizing under the firm name of the Sun- bury Supply Company. . Every year they build from two to ten houses in addition to continuing the other lines of their extensive business. Len- ker avenue is named for this family. Dr. Lenker. in association with his brother, has large real estate holdings. He is a man of broad intelligence, and has taken an active part in the local welfare, in which he is deeply interested ; he served some years as auditor of Sunbury. Dr. Lenker is a stanch Republican, and was at one time most ac- tive in the interest of the party.

John Adam Lenker, another son of John Adain and Maria ( Bobb) Lenker, was born June 29, 1818, on the old homestead. where Jacob F. Len- ker now lives, was a lifelong farmer. and owned the property which Michael Lenker now owns. He was also an extensive contractor, erecting a nunt- ber of. county buildings, houses and barns in the lower end of the county, a part of the Central Pennsylvania railroad, the Mahantango bridge in Lower Mahanoy, a number of other bridges along the Mahantango creek, and helped to build the State road from Tower City to Tremont. He filled various public offices in his locality, among others that of school director, and in fact was one of the leaders in the establishment of the free school sys- tem in Lower Mahanoy, being long its principal supporter. He was enterprising in giving his in- fluence to worthy public movements as well as in the conduct of his personal interests, and was also active in church affairs, holding all the offices in his church. He died March 24, 1881, and is buried at Stone Valley church. where he belonged. His wife, Sarah Massner, born Dec. 11, 1821, died March 23. 1899. She was a daughter of John Massner. They had children as follows: Lizzie, wife of Abraham D. Blasser: Jeremiah. deceased :

NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Jolin M., of Lower Mahanoy township; Sallie, un- isa, who married John K. Erdman; and Rebecca, married; Ellen, wife of John H. Snyder; Newton, who married David P. Martz. All these four deceased; Adam; and Michael, who has the old homestead. daughters are buried at the Oak Grove church in Ralpho township.

ADAM LENKER, son of Jolin Adam and Sarah (Massner) Lenker, was born Jan. 9, 1860, in Lower Mahanoy, township, and until he reached the age of thirty years lived on his father's farm in the Maliantango Valley. Moving to Shamokin, he lived in that borough three years, engaged as a drayman, and then returning to the Mahantango Valley he purchased a farm of sixty-five acres, which he cultivated for the next twelve years. This place was a part of the old William Deppen home- stead. Renting that place he removed farther north, in 'the same township, where he became a tenant on the A. D. and Jaeob Blasser farm, the present year (1910) being his fifth on that prop- erty. His own place is at County Line and is a very desirable tract, but he rents it because it is too small to occupy all his attention, and his family . Scout, who was born Feb. 15, 1824, daughter of being a large one he finds a larger place more profitable. He was elected a school director of Lower Mahanoy township in the spring of 1910. In politics he is a Republican.

On May 25, 1885, Mr .. Lenker married Annie Engel, daughter of Joel and Catharine (Wald) Engel, and they have had twelve children; Birdie (who died young), Joel (who died aged sixteen years.), Howard, Sallie, Annie, Alvin, John, Clar- ence, Clara, Irwin, and two that died in infancy. Mr. Lenker and his family are Lutheran members of the Zion Church at Stone Valley, where many Lenkers are buried.

JOHN B. REPLEY, of Ralpho township, North- umberland county, engaged in farming on the place formerly owned by his father, and which has been in this family for about sixty years, was born Oct. 27, 1851, on that place. The family is of German origin, and the name is also found with the spellings Reply and Ripple.

Henry Repley, great-grandfather of Jolin B. Repley, lived in this section, owning and occupying the farm now owned by T. B. and Annie Bough- ner, in what is now Ralpho township.

John Repley, son of Henry, was born Dec. 26, 1789, and died Nov. 5, 1864. He spent all his life at the homestead in Ralpho ( then Shamokin ) town- ship, following farming and also cabinetinaking, and was a well known man in his day. By his first marriage, to Jane Zartman, he had four ehil- dren: Henry; Margaret, Mrs. Peter Boughner ; : Mary, Mrs. Samuel Campbell ; and Elizabeth, wife

Henry. Repley, son of John, was born April ?, 1820, and died Jan. 16, 1882. He was a farmer, and with the exception of the period spent in the service during the Civil war gave all his active year's to that occupation. In 1849 and 1850 he bought part of the Haas and Porter farms, in what is now Ralpho township, having a tract of sixty acres upon which he erected all the buildings, and there lie farmned until his death. During the Civil war he was a member of Company H, 162d Penn- sylvania Regiment. He is buried at the Oak Grove church, in whose welfare he was interested from the beginning, having been one of the organ- izers of that church and active in its work. His father's home was a stopping-place for the Meth- odist ministers. Mr. Repley married Mary E. John Scout, who was of Scottish extraction. She died July 15, 1892. Two children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Repley: Ursula, born Sept. 26, 1845, who married David H. Snyder, and died Nov. 12, 1907 (she is buried at Oak Grove Church) ; and John B.

John B. Repley attended the public schools and Elysburg Academy, acquiring an excellent educa- tion, and he himself long followed the teacher's profession, teaching twenty-two terms of school in all, in six different schools in Shamokin and Ralpho townships. His success in this work has made him very well known in this section of the county, his efficiency and conscientious devotion to the best interests of his pupils gaining him many friends. Mcantime he had also commenced farming, to which he was reared from boyhood, and in Septem- ber, 1882, he took possession of his father's old farm. He has now seventy-six acres, located along the Center turnpike betwecu Paxinos and Bear Gap, and gives all his time to his agricultural work, in which he has prospered by intelligent at- tention to his land. He has served twenty years as assessor in his distriet, and has always been a leading eitizen in influencing public opinion for the good of the community, in which he takes a public-spirited interest. Politically he is a Dem- oerat.

On Jan. 25, 1879, Mr. Repley married Kate Erdman, who was born May 5, 1850, daughter of George and Mary ( Knorr) Erdman, and they had children as follows: Edward A. is at home; Gertrude B., twin of Edward. is the wife of Frank of Simeon Campbell (brother of Samuel). His Sanders and has two children, Catharine A. and second wife, Rachel (Sober), who died March 6, Charles L .: George Henry, who is a carpenter, married Clara Crowl, and they live at Shamokin, Pa. : John C. is at home : Frank E., twin of John, died in infancy. The mother died Feb. 5. 1908, 1877, aged seventy-seven years, four months, was the mother of the following children: Jane, born in 1836, who married Henry K. Price, and died in 1874; Savilla, who married Harvey Fisher; Lou- and is buried at the Blue church.

NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

WILLIAM W. FISHIER, who has the leading Thomas Shane; William, born Oct. 19, 1806, mar- jewelry establishment in the borough of Sunbury, ried Eleanor Blue ; Elizabeth, born Sept. 19, 1809, married John Ritter. is a man who has developed every branch of his chosen business, a fact which entitles him to rank among the most enterprising citizens of that place, in the best sense of the term. By able manage- ment and good judgment he has drawn a high class of trade and raised the standards of excel- lence in his line until, through him, the community receives as good service as may be found in the larger cities of the State. He is a native of Mil- ton, this county, born Feb. 13, 1861. and belongs to an old family of the county, one which has been settled here for a hundred and twenty-five years.

Joseph Fisher, from whom this family traces its descent, was born in Saxony in April, 1234. At the age of thirteen years, it is said, he was appren- ticed to learn a trade, and as was the custom in those days lived in his master's family. This fani- ily emigrated to America in 1742, Joseph Fisher and his sister Elizabeth accompanying them. and they landed in New Jersey, where the sister soon died. Joseph remained in the western part of New Jersey and completed his apprenticeship. On June 5, 1764, he married Catharine Minegar, who was born Aug. 24, 1746, in Holland, and they lo- cated in Warren county, N. J. During the Revo- lutionary war he entered the American service from Morris county, N. J. The home he had es- tablished, being amid the scenes of several battles and various movements of the Revolution, was de- stroyed and the surrounding lands laid waste by out to Pennsylvania. In 1788 he came to North- umberland county, on April 7th of that year pur- chasing from Samuel Reeder a farm of 100 acres along the Little Roaring creek. He lived to a good old age, dying Dec. 29, 1819, after a short illness, and was buried Jan. 1. 1820. at Catawissa. beside his wife, who had died in 1809: they rest in the old burial ground of the Lutheran Church at that place. They were the parents of ten chil- dren, born as follows: Catharine. June 29, 1765 (married Nicholas Shipman) ; Henry, July 23. 1767 (married Magdalena Farley) ; Mary, Dec. 18, 1769 (married Samuel Mutchler) ; Hannah, Jan. 27, 1772 (married Caleb Farley ) : Elizabeth, July 21, 1774 (married John Reeder) : John, June 19, 1776: Moses, Sept. 23. 1:18 (married Elizabeth Bear) ; David, March 6, 1:81; Jacob, Dec. 18, 1783 (married Margaret Kimbpel) : Jo- seph, May 20, 1786 (married Mary Kimbpel).

John Fisher, son of Joseph, was born June 19, 1776, in Sussex county, N. J. On Aug. 13. 1198. he married Elizabeth Manser, who was born in 1775 in Bucks county, Pa., and died in 1844 in Noble township, Branch Co., Mich. They had four children, namely: John married Lydia Laz- arus; Catharine, born June 13, 1801, married

William Fisher, son of John, born Oct. 19, 1806, married Dec. 25, 1827, Eleanor Blue, who was born Nov. 22, 1810, in Mahoning township, and after their marriage they resided for a time at Danville, where Mr. Fisher was employed in the store of Peter Baldy. Thence they removed to Milton, Northumberland county. and later to Lock Haven, Pa., where they remained seven years. For the next three years they lived in Philadelphia, during which time Mr. Fisher was burned out in the big fire of 1849, losing everything. He subse- quently returned to Milton, where Mrs. Fisher died Jan. 28, 1878, and from that time until his death Mr. Fisher made his home with his daugh- ter Margaret, who was the wife of Thomas Glover. Mr. and Mrs. Fisher were the parents of nine children, born as follows: B. Frank, June 15, 1829; Samuel J., April 8, 1831; William A., Oct. 21, 1832 (died Sept. 10, 1885) : John K. B., Sept. 2, 1834 (died April 12. 1848) ; Mary E., Oct. 8, 1836; Charlotte J., March 25, 1840: Mar- garet E., April 24, 1842: Dudley R., Jan. 8, 1848 (died Sept. 21, 1850) ; Dudley R. (2), Sept. 25, 1850 (married Sept. 25, 1884, Catharine Ebright).

B. Frank Fisher, son of William, born June 15, 1829, died Oct. 12, 1867. He was engaged in business at Reading, Pa. On Jan. 28, 1858, he married Mary B. Grift, who died Feb. 24. 188. They had four children: William W., born Feb. the armies, and he determined accordingly to move . 13, 1861; Flora E., born Feb. 26, 1863: Harry B., who died in 1865; and B. Frank, born Sept. 16, 1866.

William W. Fisher was a boy of ten when the family moved to Watsontown, this county, in 18:1. and there he attended public school. In 188? he founded a paper at Watsontown known as the Star. the first issue of which appeared April 1. 1882. He was in partnership, in this venture, with Lew C. Fosnot, who is still interested. Mr. Fisher sold his share to Dore Burr in November. 1883. and in March, 1884, the Watsontown Record and the Star were merged under the name of the Rec- ord and Star, under which title it has since been published, Lew C. Fosnot and his son, J. Clyde Fosnot, being the present owners. After severing his connection with the newspaper Mr. Fisher entered the stationery and book business in Wat- sontown, establishing a store in 1885, and for a time he also published band music. In 1888 he went into the jewelry business at Watsontown. where he was located for several years. In 1891 he settled at Sunbury, having that year bought the jewelry business of M. J. Beckley, at No. 344 Market street, where he has since been estab- lished. His store is now one of the finest in this part of the State, in regard to both stock and

NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

equipment, the fittings being attractive and in excellent taste, while his comprehensive stock in- cludes diamonds mounted and unmounted, watches, sterling and plated silverware, cut glass and ob- jects of art. A finely equipped repair department, conducted at one end of the store, gives employ- ment to several workmen, and diamond setting, watch and clock and jewelry repairing receive the most skillful attention from experienced me- chanics.

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Genealogical and biographical annals of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Vol. 1, Part 18

Author: Floyd, J.L., & Co., Chicago, pub Publication date: 1911 Publisher: Chicago, J. L. Floyd & Co. Number of Pages: 1090

Author: Floyd, J.L., & Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Chicago, J. L. Floyd & Co.
Number of Pages: 1090