Genealogical and biographical annals of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Vol. 1, Part 52

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 52

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).

On Oct. 23, 1881, Mr. Bueher married. Sarah A. Blasser, daughter of Jacob Blasser. of Hern- don. She died May 21, 1895, aged thirty-two years, three months, leaving a son, Charles E., who is now employed as a tombstone entter at Mahanoy : he married Mary Harris and has two children. Guy and Stanley. Mr. Bucher's second marriage was to Lizzie Latsha, daughter of Adam W. and Wilhelmina (Fegley) Latsha, and they have three children: I. May. Harry F. and John J.

Jacob Billman, grandfather of Isaac O. Bill- man, who married Mary Bucher, daughter of An- drew Bucher and sister of Andrew L. Bucher. be- longed to a family which was settled in Berks county, Pa., in an early day and was himself a pioneer of Schuylkill county. He married Maria Magdalena Weaver, and their children were: Maria (or Polly, who married Jacob Tressler ). Solomon, Peter, Daniel, Jacob and David.

Solomon Billman, son of Jacob, was born Sept. 24, 1812, in the vicinity of Hegins. Schuylkill county. where his father then lived. He died near Mahanoy, Pa., at the age of seventy-eight years. and is buried at St. Peter's Church. Mahanov. His first marriage was to Luzetta Ossman. br whom he had three children, Isaac O., Amos and Solomon. By his second wife, Salome ( Michael). he had four: Aaron, Lizzie, Sarah and Mary.

Isaac O. Billman, son of Solomon, was born in 1839. and died in 1904. He married Mary Bucher. and to them were born the following children : Agnes, George, Charles. J. Calvin, Lizzie. Verta and Lester.

Andrew L. Bucher was born March 16, 1861. and received his education in the common schools. He was reared to farm life, and began farming ALFRED CAMERON BOBB. of Paxinos, jus- tice of the peace and surveyor, and also well and favorably known in other connections in his see- tion of Northumberland county, was born at Pax- inos June 11, 1873. son of the late Peter G. Bobb. for himself on the homestead in 1884, since which year he has continued to follow general agrienl- tural pursuits, disposing of his produce at Trevor- ton and Shamokin : he has been huckstering for a number of years. He is also agent for fertilizers. Michael Bobb. the first of this family to come and is a successful business man. recognized as to America, was born in Germany, and settled in such by all his neighbors and associates. The Jackson township, Northumberland Co., Pa. His

Andrew Bucher, son of Dieter, was born Nov. 22, 1822. He came from the Mahantango Valley to Washington township about 1852, settling at the Mahanoy (St. Peter's) Church, where he owned the eighty-five-acre farm now the property of his son Andrew L. Bucher. He was a lifelong farmer and prospered in his work. about 1860 building what is now the west end of the dwelling on the farm, and in 1868 putting up the barn which is still in use. He was a useful and highly esteemed member of the community, serving as school direc- tor, tax collector and assessor, and he was a very active member of the Reformed congregation at St. Peter's Church, of which he was deacon, elder, trus- tee and treasurer. In political conviction he was a Republican. He died in April, 1894, aged seventy- four years, four months, fourteen days. and is buried with his wife at Mahanoy. Her name was Elizabeth Lenker, and she was born Dec. 2, 1822. daughter of Michael Lenker. of Lower Mahanoy township ; she died in September, 1888, aged sixty years, nine months, nine days. Mr. and Mrs, Bucher had five children : Mary married Isaac Q. Billman : Sallie married Jacob Smith : Amanda married I. M. Wentzel: E. Alice died aged twenty- six years : Andrew L .. was the only son.

90205-1251

THIS IS NOT AUTHENTIC HISTORY

Jacob Billman's wife" here given ia WEAVER,, however, Jacob Billman's numerous grand and great grand childern and two grand c children, Aaron Billman(Solomon-Jacob) and his sister Mary (Billman) Reitz) note in their family history lecters that Mrs. Jacob Billman's maiden name was MARY. MAGDALENA MAURER (MOWERY-MOWER-MOWRER ) .

Perhaps a clerical or typographical error, or he may have had a first wife who only lived a short time and left no children. Q. der m. Binnen Adda M. Billman

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son, Michael M. Bobb, was born Sept. 28, 1812, at sylvania Volunteer Infantry, serving until June Big Mahanoy, Northumberland Co., Pa., and 27, 1863. He never sought office or took any particularly active part in politics, but he was an influential citizen of his community for many years and one in whom his fellow citizens took pride, for he was a self-made man and one of the inost creditable residents of the town. He was a worthy and active member of the Methodist Church. grew to manhood in Lower Augusta township, this county. There he followed the tailor's trade for about nine years, in 1852 removing to Shanio- kin township, where he located at Snufftown. At that place he followed farming in addition to his trade. Selling out later he moved to near Mifflin- burg in Union county, where he carried on farm- ing, and thence removed to Rockefeller township, In 1865 Mr. Bobb married Mary Jane Fisher, daughter of John and Hannah ( Yocum) Fisher, and she survives him, still residing in Paxinos. Four children were born to this union: Bessie married John H. Kase, formerly a farmer of May- Northumberland county, where he passed the re- mainder of his life, living in retirement for some time before his death, which occurred when he was seventy-two years old. His wife, Elizabeth ( Gon- sar), was a daughter of Daniel Gonsar, a farmer berry township, Montour Co., Pa., now living at of Jackson township, this county, who died at the . Elvsburg: Carrie Belle married H. M. Fetterolf age of sixty-two years. Mrs. Bobb survived her and they reside in Berwick, Pa. ; Alfred C. is men- husband nine years, dying at the age of seventy- tioned below; Mildred P. married Charles L. five. She and her husband were members of the Pensyl and is living at Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania. Lutheran Church. They had a family of twelve children : Mary Ann (deceased ) married J. A. Treats, a resident of Snufftown ; Daniel operates a płaning 'mill in Sunbury; Elizabeth (deceased ) married William Biles, of Mount Carmel, Pa .: Caroline became the wife of Jacob Dundore ( de- ceased ), a cattle drover : Peter G. is mentioned be- low ; Sarah married C. Frederick Lindig, of Lewis- burg, Pa. ; William W. is deceased: Michael died young : Franklin Pierce, who married Mary Bone. operates a planing mill at East Lewisburg, Pa. ; Louisa, widow of James Havens, lives in Lewis- burg; Lucy married Wilson Russell, of Lewis- burg. Pa. : Catherine, unmarried, lives in Sunbury.

PETER G. BOBB, son of Michael M., was born Sept. 28, 1842. in Jackson township, this county, and lived at home until he reached the age of eigh- teen, meantime receiving public school opportun- ities, as 'did his brothers and sisters. He then taught school for two years, after which he clerked for John Nesbit, in his store at Paxinos, three years. After 186; he embarked in the general mer- cantile business for himself, at Paxinos, continuing only a short time, however, when he sold out to Thomas Metz, subsequently clerking for another three years. He was appointed postmaster at Pax- inos, and filled that office for twenty-three years continuously. In 1821 he was appointed ticket and freight agent at Paxinos for the Northern Central Railroad Company, holding that position until 1894. after which he started the business in which his son Alfred C. Bobb succeeded him, deal- ing in farm implements of all kinds, harness, whips, coal, fertilizers. etc. He also owned two farmis in Ralpho township. He lived in Paxinos for over forty years, and became one of its fore- died Feb. 8, 1899, and is buried in Pine Hill cemetery, in Ralpho township. Mr. Bobb was always a staunch Republican. and in June. 1863. he enlisted in Company A, 28th Regiment, Penn-

Alfred Cameron Bobb received his early educa- tion in the local public schools, later attending the Bloomsburg State normal school, from which he was graduated in 1895. He also took a post- graduate course at that institution, finishing same in 1897. His experience as a teacher covered three years, one year at Reed's, one year at Deiblers and one year at Paxinos. He then took the manage- ment of the implement business established by his father. at Paxinos, and carried it on successfully for a number of years, selling out to N. G. Adams May 28, 1910. He is now devoting the greater part of his time to surveying in his own district. His attention is also taken up to a large extent with his musical interests. He organized the Paxinos band, which is composed of twenty-three inen, and is the leader of that body, which is well known in this region and in popular demand. In 1904 Mr. Bobb was elected justice of the peace. and was reelected at the close of the term, being still in office. His political affiliations are with the Republican party. He belongs to the Metho- dist Church at Elysburg. and socially holds mem- bership in Elysburg Lodge. No. 414, F. & A. M. (of which he is a past master), and in the Modern Woodmen.

In July, 1904, Mr. Bobb married Viola H. Pen- syl, daughter of William and Harriet ( Hnll) Pensyl, of Elysburg, and they are the parents of two daughters, Winifred and Dorothy.

On the maternal side Mr. Bobb is a member of the Fisher family, being a descendant of Joseph and Catharine ( Minegar) Fisher, natives of Ger- many, the fornier born in April. 1234, the latter in August. 1746. They were married June 3. 1764. It is claimed they settled near the site of most citizens, esteemed by all who knew him. He Catawissa, in what is now Columbia county, Pa .. some time in the eighteenth century, but evidently they had previously lived in Bradford county. where their oldest son, Henry, was born JJuly 25. 1767. He resided in Colombia county. whence

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he removed to Northumberland county. To Jo- that county, especially in its connection with the seph Fisher and his wife were born the following ministry of the Mennonite Church, from early children : Catharine, Mrs. Nicholas Shipman; Colonial days. Henry; Mary; Mrs. Samuel Mutchler: Hannah, Mrs. Caleb Farlee ; Elizabeth; John; Moses; Da- vid: Jacob; and Joseph.

Henry Fisher, eldest son of Joseph, came from Columbia county to Northumberland county, lo- cating upon the land now owned by Peter Leisen- ring, where he built a gristmill aud tavern which he operated many years. He also owned about eigh- teen acres of land adjacent to the hotel and mill property. His death occurred about 1825, after which all his family except his son John left Northumberland county. He was the father of eight children : Jacob, John. Caleb, Clotworthy, Joseph, Sarah, Elizabeth and Catharine.

Rev. Jacob Gottshall. who came over from Hol- land in 1702, is said to be the direct ancestor of all of the name in Montgomery and surrounding counties. He was a minister of the Mennonite Church, well educated, energetic and self-sacri- ficing. He was one of the three translators, from Dutch to German, of the celebrated "Mirror of Martyrs" (1601)-a translation that was one of the important literary achievements of Colonial Pennsylvania. The date of his death and place of burial are not known. He preached many years at Skippack, and may be buried at the old Men- nonite Lower Skippack church, or he may be buried at Germantown (where he first settled) in the cemetery surrounding the oldest Mennonite Church in America, built in 1220, on the site of the log church erected in 1708. Some of his children settled in Montgomery county.

John Fisher, son of Henry, was born Sept. 20, 1800, in Columbia county, and learned the trade of miller. After the old mill property passed into the hands of the Leisenring family, he was en- gaged as miller for them until 1851, at which time Gottshall Gottschalk, great-grandfather of Wil- liam B. Gottshall, settled in Frederick township, Montgomery county, in 1781, and his old home- stead is now owned by M. C. Gottshall. a cousin he purchased the Sober mill (now known as Reed's mill) on Shamokin ercek, which he operated until 1873. Meantime he also conducted his, farm of eighty acres. Then he purchased two farms in of William B. Gottshall. He was a weaver by Ralpho township, one of which his son Albert S. trade, and followed that occupation in connection with farmning, doing an excellent business, and later occupied, the other passing into the posses- sion of his daughter Mrs. Charles Paul. John at his death in 1824 he left a fine farm of 246 Fisher died Sept. 17, 1881. He was a Republican acres to be divided between his two sons. Dillman and William. in politics, in religion a member of the Methodist Church. His wife, Hannah ( Yocum), daughter William Gottshall, grandfather of William B. of Nicholas Yocum, died Aug. 11, 1889. They Gottshall, was born in 1184, and lived to a good were the parents of fourteen children, two of whom, old age, dying in his ninety-second year. He was Jacob F. and James B., died young, the others be- a Mennonite and is buried at the Schwenkville meetinghouse. He inherited the farm above men- tioned as belonging now to M. C. Gottshall. located one mile west of Schwenkville, in Montgomery coun- ty, and there lived and died. He married Magda- lena Hunsberger, and to them were born thirteen children, eleven sons and two daughters, namely : William, who died in Montgomery county in 1901, at the age of ninety-five: Dillman, who died in Montgomery county : Andrew, who died at College- ville, Pa. ; Abraham, who died in infancy: Abra- ham (2) : Gottshall. who died at Schwenkville: Joseph, who died in Spring City. Chester county : Adam, of Uniontown ( Pillow), Northumberland connty: Jacob, who died young : John. of Phila- delphia : Moses H., a minister of the Mennonite Church, who died in 1888 on the old homestead in Montgomery county: Mrs. Jacob Umstead. and Mrs. Bergy (one of these daughters was named Elizabeth. the other Hannah). ing as follows : Clotworthy, of Snyder county, married Sabina Stambach : Sarah married Joseph Sanders ; Nicholas Y., of Indiana, married Julia Haas; Esther is the widow of Charles Martz, of Shamokin : Charles, formerly of Columbia coun- ty, lives near Bear Gap: Catharine married Sam- uel Adams and (second) John McWilliams, of Kansas ; Peter, who married Hannah Yocum, was killed at the battle of Fredericksburg, while serv- ing in the Union army as a member of Company C, 131st Pennsylvania Volunteers : Albert S., born March 2, 1843, married Mary Martz and lives in Ralpho township: Harvey E., of Boston, Mass., married Savilla Replev. (second) Emma Treibley. and (third) Mollie Neely: Margaret, widow of Franklin Martz (of Columbia county), resides at Paxinos: Alice, deceased. was the wife of Charles Paul; Mary J. is the widow of Peter G. Bobb, of Paxinos.

Abraham Gottshall, son of William, was born at WILLIAM B. GOTTSHALL. of Sunbury, Schwenkville. Montgomery county, in 1526, and . member of the firm of Blank & Gottshall, leading died April 1, 1901 : he is buried in the Mennonite cemetery at Bally, Berks county. He lived at millers in their section. was born in March, 1860. near Schwenkville, Montgomery Co. Pa., and Niantic. Montgomery county, where he owned a belongs to a family which has been prominent in farm of fifty-four acres, and followed farming. be-

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ing an industrious, thrifty and respected citizen. From the age of forty, for a period of thirty-tive years, he was like so many members of the family a preacher in the Mennonite Church; he was a New Mennonite. He married Maria Bauman, daughter of John and Magdalena ( Bauer) Bau- man, of Niantic, from Huber's Church, and they had the following children : Menno is a merchant of Boyertown, Berks county; Abraham died when six years old; Rev. John, twin of Abraham, is a well known evangelist, now located at York, Pa. ; William B. is mentioned below : Milton is a resi- dent of Boyertown; Abraham lives at Sunbury, Pa .; Frank B. is in business at Bovertown : Diana died aged fourteen years; Elizabeth. of Boyertown, died at the age of forty, unmarried: Mary (de- ceased ) married Daniel Urfer of Schwenkville; Catharine is the wife of Harry Reigner, of Potts- town, Pennsylvania.

William B. Gottshall received his education in the public schools and learned the trade of mill- wright with Daniel Bowman, at Sumneytown, Montgomery county, later working for Wolf & Hamaker, of Chambersburg, Pa. He followed his trade for a period of seven years before forming his present partnership, with Charles F. Blank, in 1888. They have since done business together under the firm name of Blank & Gottshall. After running the H. M. Haas flour mill at the east end of town from 1888 until 1895, they began to oper- ate the new mill in the spring of the latter year. its capacity being 100 barrels daily, and Blank & Gottshall have since conducted one of the leading establishments of the kind in this section. In . 1900 the mill was enlarged from: 100-barrel ca- pacity, to 200-barrel on wheat flour, and they have since added a complete rye mill with :5-barrel capacity daily, and a 75-barrel buckwheat and cornmeal mill ; 40 tons of feed are the daily output in that line, and the plant has a storage capacity of forty thousand bushels. At the City Roller Flour- ing Mills, as the plant is known. there are not only manufactured high-grade flours and all kinds of feed, but the firm also deals in grain, hay, salts and seeds, and in poultry and stock foods and remedies, and similar commodities. They do a thriving trade in the various lines into which their business has extended, and their standing in the community is of the best. Mr. Gottshall has also become interested in other fields of activity, and he is a stockholder in the Sunbury & Selinsgrove Street Car Company.

On Feb. 13. 1890, Mr. Gottshall married Flora Reinhard, daughter of Israel and Josephine Rein- hard. of Allentown, Pennsylvania.

C. HULL KNAUER, shoe merchant, of Mil- ton, Northumberland county, comes of an old fam- ily of Chester county, Pa., where he was born Nov. 19, 1859, at Knauertown, in Warwick township.

The earliest members of this family in America were John Christopher and Jacob Tobias Knauer, brothers, who came over from Germany, their na- tive land, when young men, settling in the French Creek Valley, in Chester county, Pa., where they purchased a tract of land from the Penns. The old deed to the Penns for this land was given to John Christopher Knauer. It reads as follows :

We, Packenah, Jarekhan, Sikals, Part Quisatt, Jervis, Essepennauk, Felkhop. Hekllappco, Wissa Pyma, Indian Kings and Sachemakers, right owners of all lands from Quigg-Quiggus, called Duck creek, unto Upland, called Chester creek, all along the west side of the Delaware river and so far between said creeks and backwards so far as a man cau ride in two days on a horse, for and in consideration of these following goods to us iu hand paid and secured by William Penu, Proprietor and Governor of the province of Pennsylvania and territories thereof, namely: twenty guns; twenty fathoms match- coat ; 20 fathoms of strong water; 20 blankets; 20 kettles; 20 pounds of powder; 100 pounds of lead; 40 Tomahawks; 100 knives; 40 pairs of stockings; 1 Barrel Beer; 20 lbs. of red lead; 100 fathoms of wampum: 40 glass bottles; 30 pewter spoons; 105 blades: 300 tobacco pipes; 100 banks of tobacco; 20 tobacco tongues; 20 steels; 300 flints; 30 pairs of seissors; 30 combs; 60 looking glasses; 200 needles; one kipple of salt: 30 lbs. of sugar; 5 gal. molasses; 20 tobacco boxes; 100 jews'- harps; 20 hoes; 30 gimlets; 30 wooden screw boxes; 100 strings of beads;

Do hereby acknowledge and give under our hands etc. this 2 day of Aug. 1685.

[Signed ] His mark X PACKENAH His mark X JARCKHAN His mark X SIKALS His mark X PART QUISATT His mark X JERVIS His mark X ESSEPENAUK His mark X FELKHOP His mark X HEELLAPPCO His mark X WISSA PYMA

Indian Kings and Sachemmakers to William Penn.

John Christopher and Jacob Tobias Knauer di- vided the land by a line running due north and south, each building his cabin near the line. for company as well as protection, where Knauertown has since been located. Much of the land remains in the possession of the family to this day. John Christopher's old home is still owned by a Knauer. Here, upon their land, was erected a church, prob- ably a Mennonite meetinghouse, as the old bury- ing-ground still bears tlie name Seven Days' grave- yard. In this burying ground are the remains of John Christopher and Jacob Tobias Knauer, and some of their descendants are also buried there. The names of their wives are not known. Jacob Tobias Knauer had three children: Christopher, Jr., Amos and Jacob.

John Christopher Knauer, who was the ancestor of C. Hull Knauer, was born Oct. 4. 1702, iu Co- burg, Germany. His children were: Samuel. Da- vid, Daniel, Jonathan. Tobias, Mary (married a Hetherby), Rebecca (married a Brunner) and .Jolın.

John Knaner, son of John Christopher Knauer,

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one of the two brothers who came to America, was some one "squealed," and again the opposite party born in 1752, and died April 2, 1825, aged seven- obtained Mr. Knauer's log chains and hoists ty-two years, ten months, seven days. He erected from his mill, and with boats and a raft to com- the first flour and saw mill at Knauertown, log plete the equipment raised it one night and laid it away along the race bank in the woods until it was again used to "bang" another party out of the country. It was once more captured by the other party one night and taken up on the hill near the. falls of French creek, where it was dropped, muz- structures, and he followed farming and milling all his life. There were five Knauer tour mills in Chester county. His children were as follows : Jolin, born Dec. 12, 1728, died July 28, 1845; Daniel, born May 6, 1780, died April 7, 1859 (Daniel Knaner was his only son) : Samuel, born zle down, into an old abandoned well, which was May 3, 1784, died Aug. 14. 1856 (his sons were filled up with rock and stone. There it still re- Samuel, Isaiah and Nathan) : David, born June mains, but there are few living to-day that know 10, 1786, died Aug. 14, 1856 (Thomas, Daniel and of its existence. Davis Knauer were his sons ) ; Jonathan (C. Hull's

In 1907, when the Fountain Inn at Phoenix- grandfather), born July 17, 1788, died June 2, ville was marked and dedicated by the Sons of 1848; Tobias, born Oct. 6, 1790, died Oct. 18, the American Revolution, Mr. David Knauer fur- 1845.

Jonathan Knauer, son of John, born July 17, 1788; died June 2. 1848. Like his father he fol- lowed milling and the manufacture of lumber all his active years. He replaced the old log mills with stone structures which are still standing, owned by Morris Knauer and in operation. He married a Miss Rice, who long predeceased him, and to them were born five children: Jonathan, Joshua, Hanialı ( married Evan Dampman ). Re- becca and Maria (married Henderson Esseck).

nished the marker, which was taken from his granite quarries at Knauertown. This marks the inmost point of the Colonies reached by the Brit- ish during the Revolution, Sept. 21-23, 1777, was erected by the borough of Phoenixville, and dedi- cated by the Pennsylvania Society, Sous of the American Revolution, Sept. 21, 1907, with ap- propriate ceremonies, various historical societies and members of the borough and State government being among those who participated in the exer- cises. Hon. Samuel W. Pennypacker. former gov- ernor of the State, made an address, and the oc- casion was altogether an imposing one. It com- memorated the movement of Lord Cornwallis which resulted in Washington being obliged to spend the winter with his army at Valley Forge. After the battle of Brandywine and the Paoli event Washington took possession of Philadelphia, in- tending to pass the winter of 1777-78 there. which would have compelled the British to remain out- side of the city. Lord Cornwallis led Washington to believe lic was going with his army to Reading,. to destroy the materials of war there stored. and Washington, therefore, occupied the country north of Phoenixville. Then Cornwallis, with his left

Prior to the Revolutionary war and during that period the Knaners had much to do with the set- tling up of this part of Chester county and oper- ated the Warwick Furnaces, manufacturing can- non and similar supplies for the Continental ar- my. John Knauer (son of Christopher ) owned and operated ironworks at Knauertown and man- ufactured the first round iron in the United States. The British, learning of these furnaces, determined to destroy them, but the troops sent out on that mission were repulsed after proceed- ing as far as Fountain Inn, now a part of Phoenix- ville, near Valley Forge. Many of the supplies at the furnaces were hurriedly buried in plowed fields, and lost for the time being, and some of wing resting on the French creek and his right wing the old cannon and ordnances of war have been near Valley Forge, got his army across the Schuyl- found within the last generation. One of the kill, near Phoenixville at Gordon's Ford, and took plowed-up cannon, which had been spiked and his troops to Philadelphia. where he remained. had to be set off with a fuse, was used to celebrate Thus it was that Washington came to spend the the . Fourth of July and battalion days. At one memorable winter at Valley Forge.

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Genealogical and biographical annals of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Vol. 1, Part 52

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