Genealogical and biographical annals of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Vol. 2, Part 2

Author: Floyd, J.L., & Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Chicago, J. L. Floyd & Co.
Number of Pages: 1024

USA > Pennsylvania > Northumberland County > Genealogical and biographical annals of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Vol. 2 > Part 2

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cial positions for fully forty years, serving as deacon, elder and trustee ; he was filling the latter office at the time of his death. His family also unite with the Reformed congregation of that church. . Politically he was a Democrat. Mr. Masser was a most esteemed citizen, and through- out his long and useful life upheld the best tra- ditions of an honored name.

FELIX C. MASSER, son of Jacob and Cath- arine (Christ) Masser, was born April 20, 1855, Barbara Baldy, who was born at Sunbury July 11, and from young manhood has been engaged in 1785, daughter of Paul Baldy, and died at that, place June 24, 1828: her funeral sermon was preached from the text Luke 1:30. They had a family of twelve children, viz .: Mary Catharine, born Aug. 31, 1803, died April 4, 1805: Eliza- beth, born June 15, 1805, married Rev. Jeremiah Shindell, of Allentown, Pa., who died before her ; William, born Sept. 4, 1807, was a farmer and farming in Upper. Mahanoy township, where he now has extensive interests. He received his edu- cation in the public schools, but his advantages were limited, and when only fourteen he began driving his father's team to market at Shamokin, once or twice a weck. He was trained to farm work from his early years, and after working for his parents until he was twenty-three years old lived near Three Rivers, Mich .; Henry B., born began farming on his own account in Upper Ma- Ang. 17, 1809, died July 8, 1897, is mentioned below : John was born June 17. 1811; Mary Ann, born May 6, 1813, married Francis Bucher, of Sunbury, whom she survived, her death occur- ring Oct. 1, 1903: Peter B., born April 11, 1815, died Nov. 14, 1866: Charles, born Feb. 14, 1817, died Ang. 1, 1841 : George Washington, born Feb. 22, 1819, died March 13, 1870; Jacob B., born hanoy township, Northumberland county, in the spring of 1879. He has since lived at his present home, which he farmed as a tenant until his fa- ther's death, in 1895, after which the property passed into his possession. He also owns two other farms, one the original Herb homestead, the other the Sebastian Zimmerman stand in Schuylkill

In 1875 Mr. Masser married Phebe Jane Zim- merman, danghter of John Zimmerman and a de- scendant of Bastian Zimmerman. Fourteen chil -- dren have been born to this union, namely: Em- ma, Mrs. Wilson Kuntzelman ; Bertha, Mrs. James Keim; Phoebe Jane, born in 1880, who died in 1881; Lillie, wife of Isaac Keim . (cousin of James) ; Charles, a farmer of Upper Mahanoy township; Victor, of New York City; Arthur ; Polly ; Katie; Raymond; Frank; James, who died in infancy; Clement, who died in infancy; and Claremont.

Henry Masser, another son of Matthias, the emigrant ancestor, was born Feb. 11, 1775, in Oley, Berks Co., Pa., and died July 17, 1853. Aft- er learning the trade of tinsmith he engaged in business for a short time at Gettysburg and Har- risburg, Pa., in 1801 coming to Sunbury, North- umberland county, and establishing himself in business in the same line. In 1809 he enlarged

1852-shortly before his death. Throughout this long period he was at the one location, occupying the two-story brick building on the south side of Market street, on the second lot west of Center alley. He was prominent in the public affairs of his day, serving as county commissiouer, 1808-11; as county auditor, 1813-14, and 1820-22; and as justice of the peace for many years.

On Dec. 5, 1802, Henry Masser married Mary

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Jan. 17, 1820, died Sept. 10, 1876; Edward Baldy, opinions, for though he was an ardent Democrat born May 9, 1822, died Nov. 7, 1852; Henrietta he rendered especially effective service in foster- A., born Oct. 16, 1824, died Aug. 10, 1832.

Henry B. Masser, son of Henry, was born Aug. 17, 1809, at Sunbury, and there received his early education in the local schools. To a large degree - he was self educated, or at any rate; he obtained all his higher education after he began to depend upon himself, as he left school at the age of four- teen to take charge of his father's store. There- after he pursued the study of the classics under Charles G. Donnel and Rev. William G. Smith, re- -ceiving private tuition, and he studied law with Alexander Jordan. He was admitted to the North- umberland county bar Nov. 5, 1833, at the same time as James Pollock, Charles W. Hegins and Samuel P. Johnson, all of whom became president judges in Pennsylvania (Pollock in Northumber- land county, Hegins in Schuylkill county and Johnson in Warren county) and Pollock was also governor of the State. "It is doubtful whether four men of equal ability and subsequent promi- nence were ever admitted to the local bar at the same time on any other occasion," Mr. Masser having long been one of the distinguished citizens of his State. He was soon firmly established in legal practice at Sunbury, and in 1839 was hon- ored with appointment as deputy attorney general for Northumberland county, filling that office with . dignity, efficiency and ability for a period of six years. During that time he never had an indict- ment quashed-a record few incumbents of the of the vestry of St. Matthew's Protestant Epis- office can approach. At the time of his death he copal Church.

ing the growth of publie sentiment toward a pro- tective tariff and supported Pollock for Congress in opposition to the party candidate on the tariff issue. Though the county was then strongly Dem- ocratic normally, Pollock received a majority of several hundred, accountable to this influence. Again, a Whig candidate for a position on the Su- preme court bench received a majority of six hun- dred in Northumberland county mainly because of the fact that he received the support of the American as the desirable man for the place. Early in Buchanan's administration it became identified with the "free soil" movement in the Democratic party ; supported Lincoln shortiv aft- er his first election, in 1860, and from that time on became a stanch Republican organ. The American was particularly earnest in its advocacy of measures designed to promote the development of the internal resources of Pennsylvania, with which Mr. Masser was especially in sympathy. He was not only prominent in public affairs but also interested in various business enterprises of a pri- vate nature. After giving up the active editorship of the paper, early in 1869, he continued to take a deep interest in educational and literary mat- ters. For a number of years before his death, which occurred in Sunbury July 8, 1897, when he was in his eighty-eighth ycar, he lived retired in that borough. He was for several years a member

was the oldest resident lawyer of Sunbury.

In 1842 Henry B. Masser married Diana M.

However, it was not alone in legal circles that Engle, of Sunbury, who died May 7, 1862. They Mr. Masser gained prominence. His natural tal- had two children : Henry (born Feb. 1, 1843, died Sept. 17, 1843) and Mary. ent as a writer early found expression in contribu- tions . to the local papers and eventually led him JACOB B. MASSER, M. D., son of Henry and Mary Barbara ( Baldy) Masser, was born Jan. 17, 1820. He received the greater part of his literary education under private tutors, graduated from Jefferson Medical College in 1841, and from that time until his death, a period of thirty-five years, was a prominent physician and surgeon in Sun- bury. He served one year as a surgeon in the Union army during the Civil war. For one term. 1858- 61, he was register and recorder of the county. Dr. Masser was a worthy and highly esteemed citizen of the borough, and his death, which occurred Sept. 10, 1876. was widely mourned. He married Sarah Heighler, who survived him. to devote his best efforts to journalistic work. In September, 1840, as the result of unexpected de- velopments in the ranks of the Democratic party, the Sunbury American was founded by him and a few associates in the interest of Hegins's cam- paign, and though the first demand for this or- gan was soon a thing of the past the paper con- tinued to grow in strength and force and influ- ence, being the oldest paper in continuous exist- ence in the borough. As its editor and publisher (for the most part alone) for a period of almost twenty-nine years, he occupied a place among local journalists and in the history of local journalism which makes his work and influence of perman- FRANKLIN BACHE MASSER. M. D., late of Sun- bury, was born there July 14, 1860, son of Dr. Jacob B. Masser. and died in his native city Dec. 22. 1891, at the early age of thirty-one. He received his early education in the local publie schools, and gradu- ated from the Hahnemann Medical School. at Phil- adelphia, in 1881. At the age of seventeen he had commenced the study of medicine with Dr. R. H. ent value. . His executive talents insured the material success of the paper once it was fairly launched, and his trenchant pen, progressive ideas and modest but forceful expressions commanded the attention of thinking people in all classes and parties. A sagacious observer of the political and social trend of his day, his editorials were widely copied as embodying conservative and unbiased

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Awl, and after completing his classical studies lic he is a member of Shamokin lodge of Elks, No. took a course at Jefferson Medical College, from 355. In religion he is a niember of the Retormed which he was graduated in 1884. He settled down Church. to practice at Sunbury, where he resided until his Mr. Erdman was twice married. His first wife was Marietta Adams, daughter of Daniel II. and Sarah (Pensyl) Adams. After her death he married (second) Catherine R. Goss, daughter of John Goss, of Ralpho township. They have three children : Esther E., Russell D. and Charles R. sudden death, from pneumonia, after an illness of eleven days. Dr. Masser served as city physician, was a member of the board of pension examiners, and a member in good standing of the Sunbury Medical Association. He had established an ex- cellent practice, and gave every promise of making a record worthy of the brilliant family of which he JACOB A. MARTZ, a farmer of Lower Ma- hanoy township, is a member of the Martz family which has been settled in Northumberland county for at least a century. He is a great-grandson of Jacob Martz, brother of David, who came with him into this section of Pennsylvania. was a typical representative. Dr. Masser was buried in the family plot in Pomfret Manor cem- etery. He was a member of the Episcopal Church and took an active part in its work. Socially lie belonged to the Royal Arcanum and the Knights of the Golden Eagle.

The Martz (or Mertz) family is quite numerous On April 8, 1885, Dr. Masser married Harriet in Berks county, Pa., where, in Longswamp town- E. Houtz, daughter of Henry and Harriet ( Boob) Houtz, of Snyder county, Pa., who died at Free- burg. Three children were born to this marriage, Franklin B., Sarah E. and Geraldine H. Mrs. Masser and her children continue to make their home in Sunbury. She is a member, and has been secretary, of Fort Augusta Chapter, D. A. R., which has a membership of forty-nine.

FRANK ERDMAN, county commissioner of - Northumberland county, was born in Shamokin (now Ralphio) township June 19, 1856, son of George Erdman. He attended the public schools of his native township, and then worked on the farm till he reached the age of eighteen years, at · which time he went to Shamokin and learned the trade of carpenter under R. S. Aucker. Here he remained for about eight years and then turned his attention to the business of building and con- tracting on his own account, building many homes in Shamokin and throughout the county. and also doing contracting for the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, erecting stations, etc. He continued at this business with success until he was elected to the office of county commissioner, in 1905. . Mr. Erdman bought the homestead in what is now Ralpho township near Weigh Scales in 1891, and he has improved it very much, his place being one of the best locations in the county.

ship, the first ancestor to come from Germany made a settlement. The name is perpetuated there by the town Mertztown, in Longswamp town- ship, and Mertz's Church in the same section. Johannes Martz (also Maertz), the founder of this family in America, was one of 242 passengers on the ship "Ann," which sailed from Rotterdam, last from Cowes. He was a son of Johannes Maertz, of Stockhausen, Wurtemberg, about thirty- . five miles northeast of Frankfort-on-the Main, and forty miles northeast of Coblentz, in Germany. Johannes Maertz, the emigrant, landed at Phila- delphia Sept. 28, 1749. He settled in the vicinity of Lyons, Berks county, and the church located near his home was named Mertz Church in honor of him. The births of his first four children are recorded there. On May 24, 1756, he married Rosina Hase. daughter of Melchior Hase. Their children were: Johannes, born July 17, 1:57: Anna Maria, Dec. 2, 1760; Maria Salome, May 24, 1763: Melchior. April 11, 1765; and Peter, March 9. 1769. The line in which we are in- terested at present descends from either Johannes or Melchior.

David and Jacob Martz, brothers, moved from Berks or Lancaster county toward the close of the eighteenth century, settling on the Shamokin creek, three miles south of Sunbury, in North- umberland countv. Jacob, however, did not re- main long, moving to the Lykens Valley. in Dauphin county, where he died and is buried. He settled ncar Killinger, in the Lykens Valley. He was a tailor, and followed his trade for many years, dying at an advanced age: he is buried at David's Church, at Killinger. He prospered and owned his own home. His wife, whose maiden name was Jury (she being a sister of John Jury, of Lykens Valley), also reached advanced age. Among their children were: Susanna married Simon Romberger; Polly married a Messer-

In politics Mr. Erdman is a Democrat. He was elected justice of peace of his township, served as school director for six years, was overseer-of the poor for six years, and in the fall of 1905 was elected to the office of county commissioner. and again elected in 1908, still holding that position. He is a good official and has proved himself to be an efficient and capable man. He has served as president of the board for the past three years. Socially he is a member of Elysburg Lodge, No. 414, F. & A. M., and a member of Bloomsburg Consistory, having taken the thirty-second degree: schmidt : Charles lived at Killinger: Jonas died

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at Millersburg; Daniel died at Lykens; Jacob is JACOB A. MARTZ, who is a farmer along the mentioned below ; Amos lived in Indiana; Chris- Mahantango creek, in Lower Mahanoy township, tian lived at Hanover, Pennsylvania.

Upper Paxton township, Dauphin county, and died in that locality in 1882, aged sixty-seven years. He is buried at Killinger's ( also known as Dav- id's) Church, of which he was a Reformed mem- ber. He was a butcher, and followed his trade among the farmers in his neighborhood, being en- gaged every day during the season. To a limited extent he also carried on farming, owning a small tract of three acres, while his wife owned fifteen acres. Mr. Martz was a Republican in politics, and was elected supervisor of his township. serving several years in that office. His first wife, Rachel (Welker), daughter of John Welker, died in the fall of 1860, aged fifty-one years. She was the mother of nine children : Uriah married Han- nah Miller; Jacob died when young; John W. is mentioned below ; Hannah married Adam Nau- bringer and (second) Elias Witmer; Sarah mar- ried Henry Kissinger ; Elizabeth and Amanda died unmarried, but three weeks apart, of typhoid fever ; Mary married Jerry Hoy; Jeremiah mar- ried Miss Hoffman. For his second wife Mr. Martz married Saralı (Weaver), widow of Peter Schreffler, and by this marriage there were two children : Emma and one that died in infancy.

John W. Martz, son of Jacob and Rachel (Wel- ker) Martz, was born Aug. 13, 1834, in Upper Paxton township, Dauphin Co., Pa., and was there reared. In 1852 he came to Northumberland county, locating in Lower Mahanoy township, where he has ever since resided. When a young man he learned the tailor's trade, which he fol- lowed after settling in this county, living for five years in Georgetown, whence in 1861 lie came to Vera Cruz. He is now the oldest resident of that village. Mr. Martz followed tailoring there until 1906, when he retired from the business, now giv- ing all his working hours to the duties of his posi- tion as postmaster, which he has held since Dec. 31, 1898; the post office name is Malta. He is a much respected citizen, one who has always held the esteem and regard of his fellow citizens by his upright life. In politics he is a Republican, in religious connection a member of the Reformed Church at Vera Cruz, which he has served of- ficially for a number of years, as deacon, elder and trustee. While living at Georgetown he held the office of deacon in the church there for three years.

On Jan. 29, 1854, Mr. Martz married Mary Ann Witmer, daughter of Peter and Elizabeth (Phil- lips) Witmer, and ten children have been born to their union : Sarah Ellen, William, Jeremiah P., Alice A. (unmarried), Peter L., Mary Lizzie, Jonathan O., Rachel R., Jacob A. and a son that died in infancy.

was born July 18, 1862, at Vera Cruz, and was

Jacob Martz, son of Jacob, was born in 1815 in reared and educated there. When a young man lie engaged in the lumber business in his native place, following that line for twenty years, during which time he operated a portable sawmill. For five years he had his mill at Peter's Mt., where he manufactured shingles, staves and all kinds of lumber, selling his product in eastern Pennsyl- vania and, to some extent, in New Jersey. Dur- ing the last few years he carried on this business he had from ten to fifteen men in his employ. Meantime he also became interested in farming, managing a farm for several years while in the lumber business, and since 1896 he has given all his attention to the cultivation of his present farm in Lower Mahanoy township, where he has resided since that year. This place, which was formerly the Jacob Snyder farm, contains 136 acres, now owned by Charles Snyder. Mr. Jacob Snyder erected all the buildings on the property. Mr. Martz owns a farm of 118 acres located along the Susquehanna river, which was formerly the home- stead of Joel Engel, and before his time was owned by Andrew Ziegler; it was long in the Ziegler family.

On Sept. 15, 1883, Mr. Martz married Emma Schaffer, daughter of Durrell and Anna (Snyder) Schaffer, and granddaughter of Isaac Schaffer. Eleven children, five sons and six daughters, have been born to this union, all of whom survive, namely: Martha O., wife of Frank Witmer, son of Henry Witmer, of Lower Mahanoy; Mary A., married to Reuben Wetzel, a baker, at Herndon, this county; William, a farmer on his father's property above mentioned, who married Stella Wit- mer, daughter of Monroe Witmer, late of Lower Mahanoy ; Stella, married to Clarence E. Witmer, son of Ephraim Witmer; Jolin N .: Clarence E .; Lloyd J .; Neda Irene ; Telma M .; Charles I .; and Emma K.

Mr. Martz and his family are members of the Reformed Church, and he is serving as a deacon of the Vera Cruz congregation. He is a Republican in his political views.

WILLIAM MARTZ was born in eastern Pennsyl- vania, where his father, a native of Germany, set- tled. He lived for a number of years at Snyder- town, in Northumberland county, where he owned the farm which is now the property of William Place, and in addition to farming he followed liis trade of blacksmith. He was a tall man, and heavy set. When about sixty years old he went out to Illinois with his daughters Sarah (wife of Leonard Wagner) and Lydia (wife of John Kline), and there lived at Elmwood, in Peoria county, until his death, which occurred when he was about seventy-five. He married an Evert,

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who long preceded hin to the grave and is buried tain, near Pitman, Schuylkill . county, another at Snydertown, Northumberland county. They brother is said to have settled at a different loca- had six children, namely: (1) John is fully men- tion in Schuylkill county, and the third at Dan- tioned in the next paragraph. (2) Kate married ville, Columbia (now Montour) county. Ludwig John Miller. (3) .Lydia married John Kline. Byerly was twice married, his first wife, whose (4) Sarah married Leonard Wagner. (5) Dan- maiden name was Beisel, being from the Mahan- iel, who lived and died at Sunbury, had children tango Valley, where she also dicd. She was the William J. and Mary. (6) Jacob settled in mother of two sons and one daughter, Eliza (mar- southern Missouri, where he died. He was a farm- ried Benjamin Leitzel), Samuel and Elijah. Aft- er by occupation. His children were Lizzie, Belle, er his second marriage, which was to a Miss Delp, Charles, Hattie, Fletcher, Maggie and Emma. he moved about 1825 to Red Bank, in Jefferson

John Martz, son of William, was born in De- county, where he followed farming and lumbering, cember, 1818, at Snydertown, Northumberland and he lived to the age of about eighty. He is county, and there passed his long life, dying Jan. buried in the vicinity of Red Bank. Five sons and 31, 1892. He is buried in the Martz family plot several daughters were born to his second union, at Snydertown. He owned 110 acres of land, and the sons being: Ludwig, George, Henry, Emanuel farmed all his life, but was also engaged as an and Solomon. employee on the Pennsylvania railroad for some

Samuel Byerly, eldest son of Ludwig, was born years. Though he did not care to hold office, he in 1811 in the Mahantango Valley, in Schuylkill was prevailed upon to serve two terms as overseer county, and passed the greater part of his active of the poor of Shamokin township, an office he life in Jordan township, Northumberland county, filled with intelligence and ability. He was an where he died July 3, 1887, aged seventy-five years, active member of the Reformed Church, in which six months, ten days. For a number of years in his he served as deacon and elder. Mr. Martz mar-

carlier manhood he hired out among farmers, later ried Elizabeth Kaseman, daughter of John and purchasing a small farm in Jordan township, Elizabeth (Reichard) Kaseman, and they became which, however, he soon sold, thereafter going to the parents of four children: Franklin P. lives in work for his brother Elijah. When he again be- Ralpho township : William E. is mentioned below ; gan farming on his own account he was a tenant Clara married David Snyder and they live in at different places for nine years, and at the end Snydertown, this county : Elizabeth married Wil- of that period purchased a traet of 106 acres in liam J. Barrell and they live at Shamokin.

Jordan township, near Urban, where he had lived

WILLIAM E. MARTZ was born Jan. 22, 1857, at as a tenant for three years. After he had owned it Snydertown, Northumberland county, and was for four years he sold out at a profit and moved reared on the farm, working for his parents until to Washington township, where he lived for sev- he attained his majority. In 1891 he began farm- eral years, then purchasing what was known as ing the homestead on his own account, and con- the Sehreffler farm of 129 aeres on the Middle tinued to cultivate it for eight years, in 1899 mov- ereek, at the Himmel Church. Eventually he sold ing to the place in Rockefeller township he has this place and returned to Jordan township. He since occupied and cultivated. This was formerly married Sarah Schaffer, daughter of John and part of the William Miller homestead and is a Christina (Lenker) Schaffer, and she survived valuable tract of fifty-eight acres, at the head him a number of years, dying in September, 1900.

waters of Plum creek? All the buildings now aged eighty-seven years, three months, twenty standing on this property were erected by Mr. days. Mr. and Mrs. Bverly are buried at St. Paul's Martz, he having built the barn in 1895 and the Church, Urban. They had children as follows: house in 1898. His place is a model of comfort Jacob : Henry S. : Samuel, of Shamokin ; Harriet, and convenience as a country home, and he keeps it in an excellent state of cultivation, looking after all the details carefully and intelligently. who married David Adams. both now deceased : Annie, who died young: Dinah. who died young ; John S .; and Sarah, who, married Nathan Guth- man, of Mahantango Valley.

On Feb. 17, 1891, Mr. Martz married Sarah Ann Miller, daughter of William and Ann (Strick-

Jacob Bverly, son of Samuel, lives at Wiconiseo, land) Miller, of Rockefeller township. Mr. and Dauphin Co., Pa. He was formerly a farmer. In Mrs. Martz have no children. He is a Lutheran politics he is a Democrat. and. he is at present in religious matters, his wife a member of the serving as supervisor. He married Catharine

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Genealogical and biographical annals of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Vol. 2, Part 2

Author: Floyd, J.L., & Co., Chicago, pub Publication date: 1911 Publisher: Chicago, J. L. Floyd & Co. Number of Pages: 1024

Author: Floyd, J.L., & Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Chicago, J. L. Floyd & Co.
Number of Pages: 1024