Genealogical and biographical annals of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Vol. 1, Part 40

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 40

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).

(8). Valentine Klase, son of Valentine, Jr., was born at the homestead near Snydertown, in 1830, and died in 1891 at Snydertown, where he is buried at St. John's Lutheran cemetery. During his early boyhood he worked on the farm during the sum- mer months. attending school a few months in the wintertime. When a young man he learned the blacksmith's trade at Snydertown. He married Sophia Evert, daughter of Solomon and Rachel (Lorman) Evert. After his marriage he conduct- ed a shop for several years in Elysburg. Pa., after which he and his brother John bonght the John Smith farm in partnership, conducting it for sex- eral years. Then Valentine disposed of his interest to his brother John and moved on to the Solomon Evert farm, thence to Snydertown, where he erected a house and blacksmith shop, and con- tinued to reside till the time of his death. He was .a member of the German Reformed Church, and a well known man, having served in a number of the borough offices. He and his wife had the fol- lowing children : Cordelia married George Albert Startzle and they reside in Snydertown : they have had children,' Nora, Maude and Clifford. Allison married Lydia Startzle and they reside in Snyder- town. John Curtis married Catharine Resler, re- sides in Snydertown, and has one child, Violet. Rodella married George Gross and they moved to Mount Carmel, Pa., where she died, survived by one child. Alice. The brothers John Curtis and Allison Klase were for a number of years in part- nership, condneting a threshing outfit and sawmill. Later Allison sold out his interest to John Curtis, who is conducting same at present.

(6) Susan Klase, daughter of Valentine, Jr., was born at the homestead near Snydertown Dec. 12, 1833. She received a meager education in her youth, attending public school for a few months during the winter. In September, 1855, she mar- ried George C. Adams, of Ralpho township, son of Casper Adams. For several years they lived in Snydertown; nntil Mr. Adams bought the Adams homestead farm in Ralpho township, Northum- berland county, to which they moved in 1863, re- siding there till the time of Mr. Adams's death. He . was an active inember of and worker in the Ger- man Reformed Church, where he held the office of deacon for a. long time, and he is buried at the Blue church near Paxinos. Since his death Mrs. Adams has been living mostly with her son, G. G. Adams, and daughter Mahala. She is a member of the German Reformed Church. Mr. and Mrs. Adams had the following children: Alvin, who met with an accident on the railroad that caused his death; Leannah, who married Francis Barrell and they reside at Reading, Pa. : Mahala, married to Charles Paul, and residing at Paxinos, Pa. (they have one child, Belva, who married Grant Vought. now of Emporium, Pa., and has one child) ; and General G., youngest son. born in Ralpho town- (9) William H. Klase, son of Valentine, Jr .. was born at the homestead near Snydertown Jan. 3. 1824. Like the rest of the children of the family ship. As a boy General G. Adams worked on the farm during the summer months, attending school in the winter. He married Sadie Miller, daughter he was employed on the farm during his younger of Christian and Esther ( Reed) Miller, of Pax- years, helping to clear the land in the summer inos, and after his marriage purchased a store in time and going to school several months in the

. 170

NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

winter. When he became a young man he learned the descendants Mr. Klase desires them to get into the blacksmith's trade, which he followed for a communication with him as soon as possible. In- number of years at Snydertown. He married vitation to the next annual gathering of the Klase Susan Adams, daughter of Casper Adams, of Family Reunion will be extended to the descend- Ralpho township, Northumberland county, and ants of Johonas Kloss as far as known, every ef- they resided for a number of years on a farm sit- fort being made to include all the relatives. uated on the Center turnpike, about two miles east

John Smith, one of the early settlers.in Snyder- of Stonington. In 1861 he moved to a farm a town, Pa., was a brother-in-law to Valentine Klase, half mile west of Snydertown, which he bought, Sr. Mr. Smith settled here in 1811, and Mr. Klase and has made his home there ever since. By his finds from the birth of his oldest daughter that he first wife he had two children, of whom Marvetta built the stone house wherein Mr. Klase resides in 1815. So that part of the Klase family very probably came up at the same time about 1811, and settled on the Valentine Klase tract of land. is married to Solomon F. Arnold and resides in Snydertown (they have one child, Lula, who mar- ried John Deibler and has two children, Martin and Robert). After the death of his first wife The meeting , at Edgewood park, on July 27. William H. Klase married Lena Dunkleberger, by 1910, was attended by about three hundred and which union he had two children : P. C .. who is at home with his parents: and Agnes, who married J. G. Quick and has two children living, Leon and Mildred, J. G. being deceased ( they live at Snyder- fifty, Mr. Klase's register showing 320 names, while there were several families that did not reg- ister. The meeting was called to order by Presi- dent Solomon F. Arnold at 1:30 P. M., and after town, Mr. Quick being engaged in contracting and he had stated the object of the gathering a com- building). mittee of ten was appointed to serve for one year William H. Klase, at the present time of writ- to complete the organization, viz .: C. F. Lerch, ing in his eighty-eighth year, is in general good Silas Klase, George K. Fegley, Jesse Klase. Felix , health for his age. He is a member of the German Lerch, Mrs. Alice Priee, Mrs. Doll. Goodwill, Mrs. Reformed Church, has held numerous borough of- Jane Koons, Mrs. Mary Savage and Rev. D. B. fiees, and is highly respected in the community. Tribley. These elected Solomon F. Arnold, pres- At his home some forty members of the family, in- ident. John H. Klase, seeretary, George K. Feg- cluding his children, grandchildren, sister Mrs. ley, treasurer, to serve for one year. Rolling Green Adams, and other relatives, assembled on Jan. 1, park, near Sunbury, Pa., and the second Wed- 1910, to celebrate his eighty-sixth birthday, in hon- nesday in August, 1911, were chosen as the next or of which he was presented a handsome Morris place and time of meeting. After these arrange- chair and other gifts. At this time and place the ments had been completed Rev. D. B. Tribley was Klase Family Reunion was organized. Solomon F. Arnold being elected president and John H. Klase secretary. The time appointed for the first meet- ing was July 27. 1910. and Edgewood park, Sham- okin, Pa., the plaee.

introduced and gave a very interesting address treating on the early immigration to America, the faithful honesty and liberality of the early men- bers of the family. The address was well delivered and received with applause. All present en-

KLASE FAMILY REUNION .- The first annual re- joyed the occasion.

union of the Klase family was held at Edgewood park, Shamokin, Pa., on July 27, 1910. The no- tices and invitations for this affair were sent out to the descendants of Valentine Klase (or Klose), Sr., as at the time there was not a complete ree- ord of the children of Johonas Kloss. But since he began the compilation of this reeord Mr. John H. Klase has been able to learn who his children were, and finds that Jacob, one of them, moved to Milmont, Ohio, in 1851, taking his family, which consisted of sons and daughters. This branch of the family held its second annual reunion at Meadowbrook park, Bascom, Ohio. on Aug. 25, 1910. Mr. John Hower Klase received an invita-

In writing the sketch of the Klase family, Mr. Klase was hampered very much by want of time. being obliged to do most of it after working all day on the farm. writing generally for an hour in the evening. Where dates of birth and death are. not given the same were missing from reeords Im had at this time, and he hopes that all the de- scendants of the family will cooperate with him by furnishing all available dates and giving him any information at their disposal, so that the fam- ily record may be properly completed and pre- served for future generations.

JOHN B. CRESSINGER, M. D., who practices tion to same, as he did also to a reunion of the in Sunbury, where he has been located throughout Hoover family, one of JJohonas' daughters being his independent professional career, bears a name married to Henry Hoover. They lived in North- which has long been associated with professional ampton county and are the ancestors of the Hoover circles in that borough, where his father has been family living in Northumberland county. The, a dental practitioner for over forty years. The rest of the family of Johonas cannot at present be family has been established in Pennsylvania for located and should this sketch be read by any of over a hundred and fifty years, the branch here

171

NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

under consideration having descended from John into the service Aug. 21, 1861, becoming a mem- George Cressinger, a German count who emigrated ber of Company E, 41st Ohio Volunteer Infantry, to America in 1753, he being one of three broth- ers who came to this country, William, John George and Hepry. . with which he served four years and three months, receiving his discharge Nov. 27, 1865. He rose to the rank of second licutenant by brevet. Dr. Cressinger was in active service throughout the war, taking part in the battle of Shiloh and the siege of Corinth : was on garrison duty at Mur- freesboro ; in the battles of Perryville and Stone River, where he was wounded the second day: was on duty at Readyville, Tenn., and in the Tulla- homa campaign ; took part in the engagements at Ringgold, Gordon's Mills, Chickamauga, Brown's Ferry, Orchard Knob and Mission Ridge; and in

Jolin George Cressinger settled in Berks coun- ty, Pa. He was an officer of the Continental army during the Revolutionary war, taking an active part in many of the battles of that struggle for independence, and his wife accompanied him through the entire period of his service in that conflict. After its close they came to Northum- berland county, Pa., settling in Augusta township, where they led long and happy lives, attaining a ripe old age. They are buried at the White the expedition to the relief of Knoxville. Church, at the foot of Trevorton mountain. They He was mustered out Dec. 31, 1863, at reared four sons, William, John, George and Blain's Cross Roads, veteranizing Jan. 1, Henry. 1864; took part in the battle of Dand-

Henry Cressinger, great-grandfather of Di. ridge, Tenn., Jan. 16-16, and on Jan. 17th started John B. Cressinger, was an officer in the war of for home, on a thirty days' furlough. Rejoining 1812-15. For many years he lived at the moun- his command at Chattanooga, Tenn., March 10, tain, near the mouth of Shamokin creek. He died Aug. 20, 1830, and is buried in the lower 1864, he subsequently took part in the battles at Rocky Face Ridge, Resaca, Adairsville. Dallas, cemetery at Sunbury. He married Margaret Kenesaw Mountain, Culp's House, Kniekajack Renn, and they had two sons, John B. and Barney, . Creek, Chattahoochee River, Pickett's Mills. Peach the latter of whom left Sunbury during the fifties, Tree Creek, Atlanta, Utah Creek, Lovejoy Station and died in Michigan.

(Ga.), Columbia, Franklin. Nashville, and in the pursuit of Hood to Huntsville. Ala. Thereafter Jan. 1, 1812, in Sunbury, Northumberland coun- he was with his regiment in Texas.

Rev. John B. Cressinger, son of Henry, was born ty, and lived here many years. He became a min- After the war Dr. Cressinger completed his preparation for the dental profession, in Febru- ary, 1868, settling in Sunbury, where he has ever since been engaged in successful practice. Dr. Cressinger is the genealogist of his family, and has made considerable research into its early his- tory, which interests him exceedingly. He has the little iron hammer carried by his great-grandta- ther while serving in the Revolutionary war, and by his grandfather while serving in the war of 1812, used to sharpen the flints of their guns. ister of the Baptist Church, and in that capacity organized and built up several churches, preaching in his native county until his removal to Ohio, in October, 1848. Here he passed the remainder of his life, and died May 4, 1895. On July 4, 1831, he married . Mary Baumgardner, who died April 21, 1881, at the age of seventy-five years, her death being caused by an accident. This couple were the parents of eight children, of whom two sons and one daughter died in infancy, four sons and one daughter reaching maturity. Of the sons. Dr. Cressinger is well known in social and fra- ternal circles in Sunbury, being a prominent work- er in the G. A. R., an Odd Fellow and a thirty- second-degree Mason. He has been particularly Daniel B. enlisted in 1861 in an Ohio regiment, re- ceived an honorable discharge from the army in 1863, and died soon after his return home, at Upper Sandusky, Ohio. Isaac and Jacob R .. the active in the Masonic fraternity, in which he Has youngest, were twins. Isaae enlisted in 1862 in Company C, 23d Ohio Volunteer Infantry, was captured at Harper's Ferry and confined at Libby and Andersonville, and in the fall of 1863 was ex- changed, being subsequently discharged on a sur- geon's certificate. In January, 1864, he re-enlisted, and he was killed at the battle of Cedar Creek, Va., Oct. 19, 1864.

a miost creditable record of service. He was initi- ated in September, 1873, in oid Lodge No. 22, of Sunbury, was erafted in October. 18:3, and raised in . November, 1873: was elected secretary of that body in December, and at the end of his first year's service declined renomination for the office. as he wished to pass the chairs, which he did. In 1885 he was again made secretary, and has filled the position continuously since. an office which he has also held in Northumberland Chapter. No. 124, R. A. M., continuonsly since his first election. in 1892. He is a leading member of the First

Jacob R. Cressinger, D. D. S., son of Rev. John B. Cressinger, was born May 31. 1844, at Sun- bury. He received his early education in the com- mon schools and took up the study of dentistry with his brother. When the Civil war broke ont Baptist Church, of which he has been a deacon he was a student at Oberlin College. Oberlin, Ohio, thirty-six years, and was organist and insical and he enlisted soon at Cleveland, being mustered

director for thirty-five years.

122

NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

On May 31, 1869, Dr. Cressinger married, in Pa. He was a member of the Reformed Church. Sunbury, Mary A. Brice, and to them were born Mr. Gilland served a number of years as school director. His wife, Susan (Conrad), daughter of

three children, the daughter, Edna, dying when eighteen inonthis old. The two survivors are John John Conrad, originally from Lancaster county, B. and Horace G., the latter now living in Chicago, died in 1903 at the age of eighty-four years. They had a family of ten children, namely: Mary, Mrs. Samuel Showalter: Thomas R., deceased : Susar, Ill., where he is connected with the Rubber Man- ufacturing & Distributing Company.

John B. Cressinger was born in Sunbury Dec. Mrs. Samuel Stover: Sarah Jennie, unmarried, 27 (St. John's Day), 1871, and obtained his early who owns part of her father's homestead : Barbara, who died in infancy: Dr. John C., of Greencastle, education in his native place. He graduated from the Sunbury high school in 1887, after which he Pa .; Matthew M., a farmer near Greencastle : Rev. took a course at Bucknell University, Lewisburg, James W. ; David A., farmer, of Greencastle, who graduating from that institution in 1893, with the has part of his father's homestead ; and George S., degree of Ph. B., and subsequently attending the a farmer of Greencastle.

medical department of the University of Penn- James W. Gilland spent the first seventeen years of his life upon the farm, meantime receiving the beginnings of his education in the common schools of his native township. In 1871 he entered Ur- sinus College, at Collegeville, Montgomery Co., Pa., where he remained one and a half years, do- ing preparatory work, and in 1873 he matriculated at Lafayette College, at Easton, Pa., where he com- pleted a full course, graduating in 1873. He was valedictorian of his class and delivered the clas- sylvania for three years, graduating in 1896 with the M. D. degree. For fifteen months after his graduation he was resident physician at St. Agnes hospital, on Broad and Mifflin streets, Philadel- phia, at the end of that period settling in Sun- bury, where he has built up an extensive practice. He met with encouraging success from the start, and has become widely known as an able and faith- ful physician, devoted to his work, in which he finds his keenest pleasure. He is a man of ath- sical oration. Entering Union Theological Sem- letic build, six feet, two inches in height, and a well known figure on the streets of Sunbury.

On April 1, 1907, Dr. Cressinger married Eva Haas, daughter of John B. Haas, of Sunbury.

REV. JAMES W. GILLAND, D. D., pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Shamokin, Northumberland county, has served that charge for the long period of twenty-two years, having re- mained ten years from the time he was first in- stalled, and at present serving the thirteenth year of his second period.

Dr. Gilland was born Nov. 24, 1853, in Antrim township, Franklin Co., Pa., where his father had passed his long life. His grandfather, Thomas Gilland, was a native of the North of Ireland, of Scotch-Irish extraction, and emigrated to AAmer- ica about 1804, locating in Antrim township, Franklin Co., Pa., where he followed agricultural pursuits. He died about 1840, from pneumonia. when about sixty-six years old, and his wife, Jane (McDowell), died a number of years later. They were Scotch Presbyterians, and both are buried near Funkstown, in Franklin county. Their chil- dren were James R. and Thomas. The former was a graduate of Jefferson, at Canonsburg, Pa., and becaine a Presbyterian minister in the South, later acting as professor of homiletics in the theological seminary at Columbia, S. C .: he died in 1868.

inary, at New York City, he graduated from that institution in May, 1880, and was ordained by the Presbytery of Carlisle at Duncannon, Pa., in June, 1881, when called to his first charge, the First Presbyterian Church of Duncannon. He was in- stalled in June, 1881, and remained at that lo- cation until 1884, when he accepted a call to the First Presbyterian Church of Shamokin. He re- ceived this call Feb. 20th and was installed May 29th. His labors met with gratifying rewards, and he remained in the charge until 1894, when he became pastor of the Westminster Presbyterian Church at Brooklyn, N. Y., which he served until December, 1898. At that time, at the solicitation of his old congregation, lie returned to .Shamokin. where he has since been located. The First Pres- byterian Church has a membership of 432, and the congregation has prospered in every way under his care, $80,000 having been collected during his pas- torate for the church edifice and parsonage. The church has grown in membership, equipment and efficiency under his charge. Dr. Gilland is a man of executive ability as well as other strong qualities needed for the successful administration of so large a church. He is an excellent and en- tertaining speaker, and indefatigable in prosecut- ing the various enterprises undertaken by the con- gregation. The degree of D. D. was conferred up- on him in 1894 by Lafayette College. .

Thomas Gilland, son of Thomas, was born Nov. On Sept. 23, 1880. Dr. Gilland married Mary Clark, daughter of Edwin and Mary A. ( Davis) Clark, of Lancaster, Pa, They have had the fol- 15, 1813, and learned the trade of carpenter. later, however, settling down to farmning in Antrim township, Franklin county. He lived retired lowing children: Thomas O., a graduate of La- several years, dying on his farm Dec. 14, 1893, in favette College, is engaged as a civil engineer in his eighty-first year. He is buried at Greencastle, Philadelphia with the Philadelphia & Reading

173

NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Railroad Company; James M., a graduate of La- occupation of his youth, and has since been en- fayette College, is engaged as a civil engineer with gaged in that work, owning part of the old home- the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad Company, stead in Shamokin township, whereon he makes his home. He has been quite successful, being in- dustrious and progressive, ready to adopt up-to- date methods and appliances to facilitate his work. and directing his energies intelligently and effec- tively.

being inspector of construction work on the Wil- liamsport division : Prof. Edwin C., a graduate of Lafayette College, has charge of the department of mathematics at the Shamokin high school; Wil- liam D. was ready for college but owing to poor healthi went ont to New Mexico, where he is now engaged as superintendent of the North Amer- ican Mining Company ; Mary F. married Thomas B. Hill and they reside at Shamokin : Susan O. is deceased ;. Morris W. is the youngest.

ISAAC RICHE, at present engaged in farming in Shamokin township. Northumberland county, was born in that township May 17, 1844, and be- longs to a -family which has been identified with this county for over a century. The family is of German origin. Mr. Riche's great-grandfather came to this country from Germany before the Revolutionary war and settled in Berks county, 1873, and was reared upon the home farm in Sham- Pa., where he lived and died.

Moses Riche (or Richie), son of the emigrant, was born in Berks county May 14, 1773. and moved thence to Northumberland county, settling near what is now known as Seven Points, in Rock- efeller township, in which section he was a pioneer. The Indians were still numerous in these parts when he located there. He died upon his farm (then included in Shamokin township) June 25, 1851, and he and his wife Rebecca are buried at the Summit church in Shamokin township. She was born July 30, 1781. and died Oct. 12. 1826. Among their children were: Miles. who died in Indiana : Henry. who died in Fishing Creek. Co- Inmbia Co .. Pa. : Isaac: Rebecca. wife of Abner Tharp : and Elizabeth, wife of William Morris.

Isaac Riche, son of Moses Riche, was born in 1812 in Rockefeller township. and died Sept. 27, William J. Gass, of Shamokin, and they have had 1900. . His occupation was farming. and in time four children : Elva, William, Mildred and Margie. he was able to buy the Thomas Tharp farm, a Mr. Richie is a member of the United Brethren tract of fifty acres, to which he added by various Church and socially holds membership in the local purchases. He attended market at Shamokin, lodge of the B. P. O. Elks. where he became well known, and was a substan- tial and respected citizen of his day. By his first wife, whose maiden name was Tharp. Mr. Riche had two children. Moses and Mary E .. . both of whoin are deceased. His second marriage was To Anna Hummel. who was born in 1801, daughter of Frederick Hummel, and died Jan. 19. 1884, aged eighty-three years. She was the mother of thre children : Samuel. who lives in Shamokin town- ship : Henry, living at Tharptown : and Isaac.

Isaac Riche, son of Isaac Riche, grew up in his native township, and when a young man learned the business of powder making, at which he became okin, and Mr. Richie has a milk route to that place an expert, following same for a number of years. His last employment in that line was at the Tray- farming, and his place is one of the finest in this orton Mills. In 1908 he returned to farming, the fertile valley, not only because of its rich soil and

---------

Mr. Riche married Lucy C. Groves, daughter of Joseph Groves, and they are the parents of the following children: Joseph W. is mentioned be- low : Laura married Rufus Savage ; Lillie married Leslic, Wolverton ; William E. is mentioned below ; Agnes married Jacob Dreher: Francis is living in Shamokin township ; Elory is a resident of Sham- okin ; Flossie married William Newberry: George Herman assists his father with the farin work: Ar- ley is living in Shamokin township. Mr. Riche is a member of the United Brethren Church.

JOSEPH W. RICHIE (as he and his brother write the name), son of Isaac Riche, was born July 29, okin township, attending the public schools of that locality and of Locust township, Columbia county. When a young man of eighteen he came to the borough of Shamokin, where he has since re- mained. He learned the business of photographer, at which he was employed by others for about six years, until he felt justified in engaging in the business on his own account. His location is at the corner of Shamokin and Commerce streets. Mr. Richie has built up a lucrative patronage, his progressive methods, skill and artistic taste. com- hined with executive ability, bringing him a large business. His work is its own recommendation. He is energetic, obliging and up-to-date. and his customers appreciate the courteous and satisfac- tory service rendered at his establishment.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Genealogical and biographical annals of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Vol. 1, Part 40

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