Genealogical and biographical annals of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Vol. 1, Part 39

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 39

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).

Jacob Klase, son of Valentine, Sr .. born near Bethlehem, Pa., Jan. 28. 1290, died March IS. 1820, and was buried in St. John's cemetery near Snydertown, Pa. He cleared the greater part of his land for farming, which he followed through-

. troubles had been settled in the northern sections of the State and the lands of the last Indian pur- chase opened for settlement, he joined himself to out his life, and it was also the occupation of his

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family. They were noted for their hospitality. Washington, born in 1843, who married Huldah He built a stone house at Stonington, which is still ('lark, died in 1908; Amanda, born in 1844. standing, in a good state of preservation, and died in 1907; Regina Catharine, born in 1846, built a sawmill on the stream running past the married A. G. Goodwill: Thomas Jefferson, born house. He married Polly Schweitzer and had in 1849, married Sue E. Bolich; Martha Clem- . these children : (1) Mary. (2) Catharine, born entine, born in 1851, married A. E. Shissler : Franklin Pierce, born in 1853, died in 1854: Mary Elizabeth, born in 1855, died in 1879; Addison Miller, born in 1857, died in 1881; Ida Rebeeca, born in 1859, married W. F. Goodwill; Jaines Buchanan, born in 1861, married Mattie Apple- gate. (8) Solomon P. was born June 28, 1831. in 1817, married Jacob Weaver, and died in 1899. She is buried at Rush Presbyterian church, in Rush township. They lived near Rushtown, Pa. Mr. and Mrs. Weaver had the following children : Mary, born in 1834, died in 1880 (buried in Rush Presbyterian cemetery), who married William Cunningham and had Catharine ( married S. SOLOMON P. KLASE, son of Abraham, born June 28, 1831. in Shamokin township, is now liv- ing retired at the borough of Snydertown. He be- came familiar with farm work in boyhood, and when eighteen years old commenced to learn the trades of stone mason and stone eutter, which he continued to follow until several years ago, giving up active work in 1900. He had an exeellent rep- Bailey and had one child, George E. ), G. S. (mar- ried Margaret Gulick, and had children. C. Louis, Sarah E., Margaret V. and Dessie Marione: G. S. Cunningham is living on the old homestead, where he is following farming) and Sarah G. (who married Rev. Thomas Kerr and they have one ehild, Kathren) : Elizabeth, who married a Mr. Miller and had children, Frank, Warren, Charles, utation for first-class workmanship, and among Jennie and Samuel : Kate, who married a Mr. other undertakings intrusted to him may be men- tioned the building of St. Edward's Catholie church at Shamokin, of which he had charge as superintendent. Mr. Klase is a veteran of the Civil war, having entered the Union service in 1862 as a member of Company C (largely re- ernited from the territory about Snydertown), 131st Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, under Capt. Thomas R. Jones. He served as corporal. He completed a nine months' term, during which he took part in the fights at Antietam, Fredericks- burg and Chaneellorsville. He is a member of G. A. R. Post No. 335, at Sunbury. Politieally Mr. Klase is a Demoerat, and he has taken consider- able interest in the welfare of his party and the

Bartlet and had one child, Oliver (they live at West Pittston, Pa. ) : and Harriet, born in 1835, who died in 1909 and is buried in Rush Presby- terian church cemetery. (3) Elizabethi was born at Stonington, Pa., and died at New Media, Pa., aged ninety-two years. (4) Solomon, born at Stonington, Pa .. died while living at the farm. (5) Jaeob died unmarried. (6) Annie Marie married a Mr. Lamerson and lived at Danville, where she died. There were no children. (7) Leonard died as the result of an accident at the sawmill. He was unmarried. (8) Samuel is liv- ing at Catawissa, Pa., now (1911) in his eighty- fourth year. After selling the farm at Stoning- ton he moved to New Media, Pa., where he also affairs of the borough, where he has been chosen owned a farm, which he sold in 1905. (9) Wil- for the offices of eouneilman and tax collector. He is a member of the Lutheran Church. helmina, born at Stonington, died unmarried.

Abraham Klase, son of Valentine, Sr., was born : in 1792, died in 1850, and is buried in St. John's Lutheran cemetery at Snydertown. He made use of the western half of the northern part of the land purchased by his father, consisting of that part bought of Jacob Snyder, whereon was the gristmill and sawmill, and besides following farming he operated the mill for several years. Meantime he built a house near the mill, and then sold the mill to Sanmel Gonsar, whose heirs own the same. He married Elizabeth Smith, and they had the following children : (1) Hannah married George Krieger. (?) Frank Klase died in Sham- okin township. (3.). Matilda married 'Samuel Yetter. (4) Catharine married a Mr. Brobst and moved to Iowa. (5) Eliza married Daniel Weaver. (6) William died in California. (7) buried at Shamokin. He married Catharine Mil- ler, born in 1819, died in 1891, buried at Sham- okin, and they had the following children : George

On Nov. 26, 1854, Mr. Klase married Jane Wittington, who was born Jan. 4, 1834, daughter of Jacob Wittington, and died Feb. 19, 1900. His seeond marriage on May 14, 1901, was to Sarah Evert, daughter of Isaae Tribley. Mr. Klase reared James MeBride, who is now a resident of Shamokin.

Henry Klase, son of Valentine, Sr., was born near Bethlehem, Northampton Co., Pa., settled at Snydertown in 1817, and there eondueted a gen- eral store, hauling his merehandise from Read- ing and Philadelphia, by wagon and team. He moved from there to Danville, Pa., where he died. He married Sallie Smith, daughter of John Smith. and had the following children : Jesse : Mary Jane, Mrs. Kesler: Henry; Jacob, and Wellington. Jesse, who now lives at Danville, is one of the

Abraham, born in 1819, died in 1883, and is committee of ten of the Klase Family Reunion.

Michael Klase, son of Valentine. Sr., was born Sept. 4, 1794, in Bethlehem township. Northamp- ton county. When the other children came to

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Northumberland county he concluded to stay at 15, 1836, and died Aug. 11, 1910. At an early the old home. He married and had three chil- age he went to Sunbury, where he was employed dren : Daniel, Joseph and William. He paid a vis- by John W. Fryling in his store. He next engaged it to his brethren living in Northumberland coun- ty and while on the trip took sick at the home of

in merchandising, which he carried on success- fully, and later built a nail mill, in the east end Jacob Klase, where he died, Feb. 22, 1852. His of Sunbury, which prospered also. Mr. Fegley children lived at Allentown and Bethlehem, where his descendants are still found. Michael Klase is their surviving children are: William, who is en- buried in the Klase row in St. John's Lutheran cemetery at Snydertown. married Mary O'Brien, of Washington, D. C., and gaged in electrical operations in Topeka. Kans. : Mrs. J. A. Lamb, living at Sunbury, Pa. : and Mrs. William Colhoun, of Sunbury.

Catharine Klase, daughter of Valentine, was born in Bethlehem township, Northampton Co., Valentine Klase, Jr., son of Valentine, Sr., was born in Bethlehem township, Northampton Co., Pa., July 13, 1799, and died April 20, 1872: he is buried in St. John's cemetery at Snydertown. Pa., Sept. 12, 1796, died June 30, 1875, and is buried at St. Jacob's church, near Reed's station, in Northumberland county. She married Felix Lerch, and early in life moved to Mount Carmel, He married Mary Baker, of Milton, Pa., where where they engaged in keeping hotel. For a long time this was the only house of public entertain- ment in Mount Carmel. According to a reference in the Northumberland county history they had an important hotel stand. Located almost midway between Sunbury and Pottsville, and on the orig- inal Indian trail leading to Philadelphia, they saw numbers of the red men as they passed the place. Later they conducted a hotel at Paxinos, Pa. Their children were: Susan, who married Amos Vastine : Benjamin, who lived at Stonington, Pa .; Abraham, who lived at Mount Carmel: Sebella, who married Jacob Tribley and lived near Ston- ington (they were the parents of Rev. D. B. Trib- ley, minister of the Lutheran Church at Miners-

she was born Feb. 6, 1794, her family being pi- oneer settlers in that section. Mrs. Klase died Feb. 11, 1884, and is buried in St. John's ceme- tery. Mr. and Mrs. Klase settled on a tract of land one mile south of Snydertown, same being a part of the purchase of Valentine Klase, Sr. Here in 1817 they erected a log house and barn, which is still standing and in a good state of preserva- tion : it is now owned by Charles Snyder, who at present owns part of this farm, located a short distance south of Snydertown. They cleared the land of timber and started farming, which was Mr. Klase's occupation until the time of his death. In 1823 he erected a distillery for the manufac- ture of liquors. In looking over some of his pa- ville) ; and William II., the youngest, still living pers we find the price for the distilling of one at Mount Carmel, the oldest settler living there bushel of rye was twenty-five cents: whiskey sold to-day, who, though in his eighty-fourth year, con- for forty cents per gallon. Valentine Klase was ducts a store and is very bright for a man of his also engaged in the cutting of timber and its years.

manufacture into lumber. He owned a tract of timber land on Fishing creek. in Columbia coun-

Mary Eva Klase, daughter of Valentine, Sr., was born Dec. 20, 1803, died Feb. 13, 1887, and ty, Pa .. the timber for which was sawed up and is buried at the Blue church near Paxinos, Pa. rafted down the creek to the river, thence to Sun- On Dec. 7, 1823, she married Solomon Fegley, and bury, where it was disposed of. He was a progres- they subsequently purchased a farm on what is sive man, as is shown by the fact that he was a known at present as the Reading road, three miles strong advocate of the free school system. On elec- west of Paxinos, which they owned for several years. At the end of that time they sold it and purchased a place just north on the Center turn- pike. Mr. Fegley followed farming nearly his whole life, in his . early years being occupied to some extent in coal mining and railroad building. Mr. and Mrs. Fegley had the following children : Eliza ; Valentine: Rosana, Mrs .. Sober : Catharine, Mrs. McWilliams: Caroline, who married Wil- loughby Hass : William : Harriet : Ellen, Mrs. Mc- Williams ; Mary ; Eva ; George K., living at pres- ent at Shamokin, Pa., who is a member of Lin- coln Post, G. A. R., has served as sheriff of North- umberland county one terin and has been active turned over to them. The papers relative to this tion day he rode eight miles through eighteen inches of freshly fallen snow to cast his vote for free schools, being the only one to go from Snyder- town. This election carried for free schools by a majority of one, so his efforts were not wasted. About the first school held in Snydertown was a subscription school held at his house for several winters. Jacob Snyder, the founder of Snyder- town, left a plot of ground for school purposes. Valentine Klase was one of three trustees ap- pointed to hold this land and they filled this trust till there was a regular school board elected by Shamokin township, after which the same was are still in existence.

in politics for a number of years (he at present is treasurer of the Klase Family Reunion) ; and H. K.

On the farm which Valentine Klase owned was what was considered to be a valuable mineral de-

II. K. Fegley, son of Solomon, was born March posit. This was tested for oil in 1869 to a depth of

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600 feet, by drillings. In 1887 it was again tested, were practically no honses after leaving the Weigh to a depth of 3,200 feet, for the same purpose, Scales, near Shamokin, till near Pottsville, and neither test slowing any signs of oil. On this he has related how the deer often crossed the road farm is found a mineral spring the waters of in droves, and toward evening the howl of wild- which may be drunk of freely by man, but the cats and panthers could be heard. While he was same is death to small animals, as they sneeumb still a boy Mr. Arnold shot a panther that almost as soon as they touch the water. The com- measured nine feet in length, within a half mile piler has seen as many as a half dozen dead in it. of the house, and one morning when sent out to at onee, some having died apparently just before bring in the horses he found a large black bear in his coming.

the pasture fields : the animal scampered away at

Valentine, Jacob and Henry Klase. along with his approach. In his early life he began the study John Smith and Samuel Hoover, were the found- ers of St. John's Lutheran Church at Snyder- town, which church was erected jointly by Luth- erans and those of the German Reformed faith, in 1821.

of musie, in which he excelled considering the lini- itations of the times, and he taught singing school, was musician for the military company during the battalion days, and led the choir of the Lutheran Church at Snydertown for forty years. His op- portunities for obtaining an education were very meager. After attending subscription school sey- eral months during the winter, he had the advan-

All the generation of the sons and daughters of Valentine Klase, Sr., have passed away. They were among the early settlers of Snydertown and vicinity, living there and raising families who were tage of one winter at an academy in Bethlehem, Pa. honest, upright, stalwart men and women. They He had charge of his father's lumber interests on not only eleared the ground but improved it, fought baek the wolves and panthers, and saw all the wild animals depart gradually for thicker for- est lands. The record of the children of Valen- tine Klase, Jr., is as follows:

Fishing ereek in Columbia county, where he man- ufactured lumber, rafting the same down to Sun- bury. Buying a piece of land, which now forms a part of the farm owned by Henry Pensyl, of Ston- ington, he cleared it and farmed there to the time

(1) Catharine Klase, daughter of Valentine, Jr., of his marriage. Nov. 8, 1849, to Margaret Evert, married Abraham Rimert. They owned and lived daughter of Solomon and Rachel ( Lorman ) Evert, on a farm one mile west of Stonington, on the of Snydertown. After marriage he moved on the Center turnpike, and were engaged in farming farm of Mr. Evert, for whom he farmed ten years. until the time of his death, which occurred very Then he and his brother Valentine purchased the John Smith farm, a half mile east of Snydertown, which they farmed in partnership for a number of years, at the end of which period John Klase bought Valentine's interest and continued to live on the farm till the time of his death. He was a suddenly while he was on a trip to Sunbury. They had the following children : David ; Martin ; Valen- tine; Albert; Samuel: Mandis: Mary, who mar- ried Jolin Savage and lived in Sunbury; Jane, Mrs. Koons, who lives in Watsontown, Pa. : and Anna, Mrs. Hoff. Abraham and Catharine Rim- member of St. John's . Lutheran Church of Snyder- ert are buried at St. John's Lutheran cemetery, town, having joined the congregation when sev- Snydertown. enteen years of age, under the pastorate of Rev. Mr.

. (2) Eva Klase, daughter of Valentine, Jr., was Shindel. In 1845 he joined Mount Taber Lodge of born at the homestead at Snydertown and died in Odd Fellows, located at Shamokin, and several Ohio. She married George William Lerch and early in life they moved to Canton, Ohio, where ting Shamokin Valley Lodge, No. 527, I. O. O. F., he purchased a farin. which they cultivated until his death. They had eleven children, all of whom were living at the time of the fiftieth anniversary of their parents' wedding, which was celebrated on Feb. 4, 1801.

years later he and several others succeeded in get- organized at Snydertown. Mr. Klase being one of the charter members. He passed all the chairs, was secretary for twenty years in succession, and helped to build the new Odd Fellows Hall more than fifty years after the organization. John Klase was one of the foremost men of this section in his aetive years, identified with many phases of the life of the community. He was one of the first school directors to serve in Snydertown borongh, and held several other borough offices. He was not only trusted and respected by his fellow cit- izens, but he held their affectionate esteem to an unusual degree, old and young alike addressing

(3) John Klase, son of Valentine, Jr., was born Oct. 3, 1821, at the homestead in Shamokin town- ship, and died May 12. 1906. . He is buried in St. John's Lutheran cemetery, Snydertown. When John Klase was but sixteen years of age lie would drive a four-horse team to Pottsville, l'a., with a load of produce. The trip would take from three to four days. Arriving at Mount Carmel, he would stay over night, stopping with Felix Lerch. his him familiarly as "uncle" On Nov. 8, 1899, he uncle. This hotel being very often crowded, he and his wife Margaret celebrated their fiftieth an- like others would roll up in sheepskin robes and niversary of wedded life. The celebration was at- sleep on the bar-room floor. At this time there, tended hy ??? guests, who partook of dinner. Mr.

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and Mrs. Klase were married by R. A. Fisher, and the scope of his operations, manufacturing lum- on the occasion of the golden wedding Rev. Mr. ber for all general purposes. After cutting and Wampole, of Shamokin, Pa., was present and gave manufacturing timber for two years in the south- a very interesting talk to the guests. Mrs. Klase ern part of Northumberland county, Mr. Klase is now living with her son John. She has reached bought out Mr. Cooper's interest and connected the age of eighty. John and Margaret Klase had himself with S. Bailey, of Danville, Pa., with the following children : (1) Sallie J., born Nov. whom he entered into the manufacture of lum- 21, 1852, died Aug. 8, 1892. She married Dr. G. ber on an extensive scale in Perry, Juniata, Hunt- A. Smith, son of Daniel Smith, of Snydertown, ingdon and Franklin counties, in which region he spent five years. In 1897 he took a halt interest and they lived for a short time at Hartleton, Pa., thence moving to Liberty, Tioga Co., Pa., where in the homestead farm, which he and his brother the Doctor built up a very lucrative practice. He Ellis bought, later on, each having half of the 180 is still living there. Mrs. Smith came home to vis- acres. He is living at the present time on the old it her father in the summer of 1897, while he was sick, and taking sick while there died at liis home. `She is buried in St. John's Lutheran cemetery at homestead farm, in the house built by John Smith in the year 1815; it is a stone house, and the walls are as solid as the day they were completed. Snydertown. She had three children : Bertha G., John Smith, a brother-in-law of Valentine Klase who is a graduate of the Mansfield State normal and one of his administrators, lived and died on this farm and raised his family there. He was the progenitor of the Smith descendants now in that community. He and his wife are buried in 'St. John's cemetery at Snydertown. At his death the farm was purchased by John Klase and Valen- tine, his brother. John Hower Klase is at present engaged in farming and the raising of market truck, taking special interest in the hybridizing of grains and small fruits, in which line he has had very good results, in the way of producing school, and has been teaching for a number of win- ters very successfully ; Arthur A., who graduated from Bucknell University and later studied law, which he is now practicing in Williamsport, where he makes his home (he married Alta Shae) : and Leon, who is at home with his father and is at- tending school. (?) Solomon Ellis, eldest son of John Klase, was born at Snydertown, Nov. 12. 1854, and as a boy worked on his father's farm during the summer months, going to the public school during the winter seasons. When twenty he much hardier species. attended the Elysburg Academy one or two terms,

On June 12, 1889, Mr. Klase married Elizabeth after which he taught public school several terms. L. Miller, daughter of Christian and Esther When fourteen years of age he joined St. John's

(Reed) Miller, of Paxinos, Pa., and they have had Lutheran Church and at once became active in two children, both living: Myrtle May, born April both Sunday school and church work. He has a 16, 1890, attended public school till seventeen years fine record as superintendent of the Sunday school, of age, taught Hills school one term, and then which position he has filled for twenty-five years entered the Bloomsburg State normal school, where in succession without missing one Sunday in at- she graduated in July, 1910; she is engaged in tendance. He married Flora Deibler, daughter of teaching at the present time. Maud Esther, the younger daughter, born Feb. 27, 1894, attended public school till sixteen years of age and at the present time is attending Bloomsburg State nor- mal school, being a member of the class of 191 ?. Jonosoe B. Deibler, of Snydertown, and is living at present on the homestead farm of John Klase, where he has erected a house and barn, being half owner of the homestead. Mr. and Mrs. Klase had two children, Mabel, who died at the age of six- teen, and Myrle, who is living at home. (3) John Hower.

JOHN HOWER KLASE, youngest son of John Klase, was born March 6, 1864, at the homestead at Snydertown. As a boy he worked on the farm during the summer months, going to school during the winter terms, until sixteen years of age, when he went to the Missionary Institute at Selinsgrove for one term, thence going to New Berlin for two terms. He then helped to build the Philadelphia & Reading railroad through Snydertown, and in the year 1884 graduated from the Woods Com- mercial College, Williamsport. Immediately thereafter he started cutting and manufacturing timber for the coal mines, continuing this busi -. ness alone for five years, when he entered into a also a member of the P. O. S. of A. He was one copartnership with Luther Cooper and enlarged of the originators of the Klase Family Reunion,

Mr. Klase is a member of St. John's Lutheran Church, and for a number of years was a teacher of the male Bible class in the Lutheran Sunday school. In 1885 he joined Shamokin Valley Lodge, No. 527, I. O. O. F., of Snydertown, which was organized in 1856, and has gone through all the degrees ; has represented the lodge at the annual meeting of the grand lodge several times : has been a representative of his lodge to the Odd Fellows' Orphans' Home Association for eight years: has served there on the Property committee three years, and at present is serving as chairman of the board of trustees, taking a particular interest in .the welfare of the home. He joined Royal Ar- canum Lodge No. 945, at Sunbury. where he con- tinues his membership at the present time. He is

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and has been active in the work since its establish- Snydertown, which he condneted for several years. ment, having been first secretary of same and Selling it he bought the homestead farin, and en- historian. He has served his fellow citizens as member of the school board and of the town conn- cil, as auditor, constable and borough officer. Po- litically he is a Democrat. gaged in farming for several years, then conduct- ing the hotel at Paxinos for three years. He next bought the "Elysburg Hotel." which he enlarged and there he and his wife reside at the present time, conducting the hotel along with their farm. They have one child, George Hatton, who is at

(4) Levina Klase, daughter of Valentine, Jr., was born at the home near Snydertown ; she mar- ried Isaac Bonghner and they moved early in life home with them. to Macon, Mich., where they engaged in farming to the end of their days. They had the following children : Jefferson. George. Clara, Bell and Hen- ryetta, all living in Michigan as far as known.

(5) Hannah Klase, daughter of Valentine, Jr., was born at the homestead farm near Snydertown. She married Daniel Donbach, and they moved to Ringtown, Schuylkill county, where they resided to the time of her death. Their children were as fol- lows : Catharine, the eldest, married Joseph Kling-

(7) Sallie Klase, daughter of Valentine, Jr., was born at the homestead at Snydertown. She married Noah Ware and they lived most of their lives in the northern end of Northumberland coun- ty. They had four children: William, who is em- ployed conducting a sawmill in operation near Catawissa, . Pa. : Benjamin, who is married and lives near Washingtonville, Pa .; Jefferson, who is married and lives at Three Rivers, Mich. : and Maryann, who married Albert Hill and resides erman and they moved to Beaver Meadow, where at Milton, Pa. (they have two children). he was an employee of the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad Company : George, a college graduate, for several years was engaged- in missionary work in the far West. coming back to Pennsylvania in 1908 and engaging in contracting and building at Shamokin, where he now resides : Laura, youngest daughter of Mrs. Hannah Donbach, is living at present at Ringtown, Pa., taking care of her father, who has become an invalid.

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Genealogical and biographical annals of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Vol. 1, Part 39

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