Genealogical and biographical annals of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Vol. 2, Part 41

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 41

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John Bohner's wife, Maria (Delp), born Nov .. 5, 1789, died Dec. 1, 1868. Their ehildren, all born at the homestead above mentioned, were Peter, Daniel, David, Simon (born 1822), Jolın (who lives near Snydertown, Shamokin town- ship), Benjamin (now living in Shamokin town- ship, Northumberland county), Elizabeth (the eldest of the family, married Daniel Hilbush), Susanna (married Peter Sehlegel), Marieha ( mar- ried Peter Thomas), Catharine (married Adam Ferster) and Dinah (married Daniel Shreffler). The only survivors of this large family are John and Benjamin.

(III) David Bohner, son of John, lived in Catharine (twin of Peter) married Levi Bohner Jaekson township, where he was engaged as a (a distant relative) ; George lives in Shamokin; farmer, miller and shoemaker. For a number of Daniel died young. years he owned and operated what is known as the "Holshue" mill. He is buried at Peiffers Church at Mandata, Northumberland eounty. He and his wife Catharine (Garman) had a family of eight children, three of whom died in infaney, the others being : Henry, Elias, Mary, John and David G.

(IV) David G. Bohner, son of David, was born Nov. 10, 1873, and is at present engaged in farming with his father-in-law. He married Mary J. Boliner, daughter of (IV) David Bohner, of another braneh of the family, and they have had two children, Leo F. and Ralph R.

(III) Peter Bohner, son of John, was born Oct. 28, 1817, on the homestead in what was then Mahanov (now Jackson) township. He spent his entire life on that farm, and, as previously related, his father was away from home so much of the time following his trade that Peter looked after the farin work. Thus it eame about that by the time he was seventeen he was doing the work of a mature man. Until his father retired he farmed the place on shares, and it eventually came into his possession. It is still in the Bohner name, being owned by his son John. In 1870 Peter Bohner built the present barn on the place, a strueture 85 by 40 feet originally, with a 14-foot addition used as a wagon shed. He was a large, strong man, weighing over two hundred pounds, and earried his responsibilities easily. He was well known in Jaekson township, where he served as supervisor (many years) and assessor, was a Democrat in politieal matters and in religion a Reformed member of St. Peter's Church at Ma- hanoy, where he is buried. He was a prominent worker in that congregation, which he served as deaeon, elder and trustee, was liberal in his sup- port of church work and consistent in his life. He was baptized by Nicholas Hembing and catechised at St. Peter's Church, Mahanoy, being confirmed by Rev. Benjamin Boyer, May 30, 1835. He died in April, 1901.

Peter Bohner was twice married, the first time Aug. 23, 1842, to Catharine Rebuck, daughter of Peter Rebuck; she was born April 2, 1822. and died. March 3, 1861. She is buried beside her husband at St. Peter's Church. To this union were born twelve ehildren, namely: Noah R. is mentioned below ; a daughter, twin of Noah, died in infaney ; Susan married Elias Tressler, of Ma- hanoy; Joel is a resident of Northumberland county, near Kline's Grove; Harriet married Wil- liam Terster (who is now deceased) and they lived in Washington township, Northumberland county ; Cornelius lived in Lower Augusta town- ship; Lavina married Albert Bressler and lived in Ilegins, Schuylkill county ; John R. is mentioned below; Peter is a resident of Jaekson township:

For his second wife Peter Bohner married June 19, 1864, Susanna (Shaffer), daughter of Peter and Mary Magd. ( Brown) Shaffer and widow of Jaeob Lahr, and to this marriage was born one son, William S., who is mentioned below. Mrs. Bohner was first married, April 23, 1843, to Jacob Lahr, and they had eight children (seven sons and one danghter), viz. : Josiah, Wilhelmina, Israel. Daniel, and four who died young. Daniel is the only survivor. Mrs. Bohner's maternal grand- father, Michael Brown, born Mareh 30, 1120. came from Berks eounty; he died May 9, 1851.

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His wife, born Sept. 16. 1:12, died Feb. 18, 1844. been active in St. Peter's Church, of which he They were married April 19, 1795, and had a was a Reformed member, serving as deacon for family of nine children, Mary Magd. ( Polly), three years and as trustee nine years. mother of Mrs. Bohner, being born Jan. 19, 1798: she died May 21, 1864.

// (IV) NOAH R. BOHLNER, son of Peter, was born May 10, 1844, on the homestead in Jackson township, and was there reared, during his boy- hood attending the old-fashioned pay school at Mahanoy. After working as hired man away from home one year he returned to his father, working for him and in the neighborhood until 1868. He had married the previous year, and he then removed to Lower Mahanoy township, where he farmed as a tenant for six years before settling on his present place, in that township, in 1874. He owns the old John Dockey homestead of eighty- five acres, and has prospered well, being one of the substantial citizens of his section. The barn on this place was built about 1832, and the log house is even older, having been built by Mr. Dockey in 1807; it was the second house erected on the farm.

On Oct. 13, 186?, Mr. Bohner married Mary Troutman, daughter of Moses Troutman, and they have had the following children: Adam F., of Uniontown, Pa. ; Harvey E., of Millersburg, Pa. : Rev. Jonathan, a minister of the East Pennsyl- vania Conference of the United Evangelical Church, who was first stationed at Boyertown, later at South Allentown and Palmyra, and is now at East Greenville (he married Mary Lyte, of Dauphin, 'on the Susquehanna river, and they have had five children, Ruth, Mabel, Emma, John and Paul) ; Charles G., of Lower Mahanoy town- ship; Harry P., of Pillow, Pa .; Noah Carnie, of Millersburg, Pa .; David Lloyd, who is at home with his parents : and Mary Mabel, also at home.

Mr. Bohner and his family are members of the United Evangelical Church at Uniontown, in which he has been a very prominent worker, hay- ing served as class leader, exhorter, trustee, and steward for a number of years. He was a dele- gate to the annual conference which met at Easton, Pa. He is an independent voter on political questions, and though not active ordinarily in publie matters has served as school director.

(IV) JOHN R. BOHNER, son of Peter, was born on the homestead farmi in Jackson township May 14, 1854. He began his education in the old subseription schools, and then for four winters attended the free schools. He was reared to farm- ing, and in 1881 began operating the home place. There was a Michael Peiffer who died in Green- wich township, Berks county, early in March, 1807. his "beloved wife Elizabeth" and son John being the 'executors of his will, which was made Nov. 17, 1806. It is recorded in Will Book IV, page which came into his name in 1902. He continued to cultivate it successfully until 190%, when he retired from its active care, his sons succeeding him. Mr. Bohner has been quite active in the local civil administration. having served as an- 413. His children were: John, Michael, Daniel. ditor, supervisor and school director; he held the Christiana and Elizabeth. It is supposed the son John was the pioneer in this region. founding the Peifer family now so numerously and credit-

latter office six years, refusing a renomination. In political opinion he is a Democrat. He has also

On Dec. 1, 1882, Mr. Bohner married Alice Ty- son, daughter of Jesse and Lydia (Greisher) Ty- son, the former of whom was a soldier in the Civil war and disappeared after that struggle. Mrs. Bohner died Dec. 1, 1894,, on the twelfth anniversary of her marriage, at the age of thirty- four years, six months. She was the mother of six children. two of whom died in infancy, the others being : Elijah married Amelia Lahr and they live with his father; Mary married Benjamin Neihart and lives at Trevorton, Pa .; Lydia mar- ried Henry Foster Rhoads and they live with her father ; Jesiah is unmarried.

(IV) WILLIAM S. BOHNER, youngest son of Peter, was born May 1, 1865, at Mahanoy, and spent his early years at farm work. When six- teen years old, in 1881, he went to learn the car- penter's trade, which he followed for fifteen years in his native district and at Shamokin, where he worked some years. He lived at Shamokin for three years during this period, and in that time built two houses which he sold. He was engaged at his trade four years as foreman. Beginning farming at Mahanoy he cultivated what is locally known at the "Bunker Hill" farm for thirteen years. On Feb. 22, 1904, he came to Lower Augus- ta township, where he bought what was known as the James Caldren farm, consisting of 104 acres, where he has since lived and farmed. He has prospered, and has made a number of improve- ments on the place, which shows many evidences of his enterprise and thrift.

On Sept. 17, 1887, Mr. Bohner married, at Ma- hanoy, Lillie L. Bohmer, daughter of Michael D. Bohner, of what was .then Jackson (now Lower Mahanoy ) township. Five children have been born to this union: Hannah M. married George Starr and lives at Herndon; Ida I., Lillie Agnes, Nora E. and Stella May are at home. Mr. Bohner and his family attend the Methodist Church, but he is not sectarian on religious questions.

JEREMIAH PEIFER, a venerable farmer of Jordan township, located at Hebe, belongs to a family which was identified with Berks county in the early days of the State, and the branch in which we are interested has been established in Northumberland county for several generations.

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ably represented in Jordan township and vicinity. town ( Pillow). In political belief he is a Repub- John Peiter (or Peiffer) was born in Berks lican.

county, and came from Greenwich or Marion In 1872 Mr. Peifer married Ellemina Troutman, township to what was then Mahanoy township, daughter of John and Harriet (Lesher) Trout- Northumberland county, in 1815, acquiring man, and they have had three children: Lillie Jane married Irwin Bowman and they live at Hebe; Lizzie Alice married James Schlegel and their home is in Jordan township; John married Blanche Bush and they live with his father ( they have one child. Fred). ownership of four hundred acres of land in the territory now embraced in Jackson township. He is buried at the Mahanoy (St. Peter's) Church. His children were: John, who settled in Little Mahanov township; Peter, who had no children : Michael, who is mentioned below; Henry, who is mentioned below : and Philip, who left this coun- ty, though his location is not known.

Michael Peifer, son of John, was born in Berks county, and passed the greater part of his life in Northumberland county, where he died at the age of seventy-six years. He is buried at Zart- man's United Evangelical Church. A farmer by occupation, he began for himself near Herndon, in Jackson township, where he lived for some years, after which he bought the property now owned by Daniel Brower, cultivating this land un- til his death. His wife Barbara also died on this farm. She was a daughter of Michael Bordner, of Berrysburg, in the Lykens Valley, and was Michael Peifer's second wife. By his first mar- riage he was the father of eleven children: Isaac. Benjamin, Daniel, Lydia, Sally, Harriet, Polly, and four. who died young. To the second union were born five: Jeremiah ; Elias, deceased ; Henry, of Wilkes-Barre, Pa. ; Lovina, wife of Jacob Heim, of Swabian Valley; and Eliza, widow of Israel Carl, now living in Tower City, Pennsyl- vania.

Jeremialı Peifer was born May 9, 1836, in Jaek- son township, on the farm now owned by the widow of Galen Smith, one time county treasurer. He was reared on the farm now owned by Daniel Brower, and became accustomed to farm work from his early boyhood, working for his parents until he reached the age of twenty-two years. His educational advantages were limited, for instead of attending school in the winter, as many of the boys who had to help with the work in sun- mer did, he assisted with the threshing, which was then accomplished by riding the horses over the grain spread on the barn floor. After leaving home he hired out to do farm work for several years, and for three years devoted himself exclu- sively to his trade, that of carpenter. After his marriage he came to his present location at Hebe, purchasing the Solomon Schmeltz homestead. which contains forty acres of cleared land and ten acres of woodland. This is a most desirable prop- erty, and practically all the improvements have been made during Mr. Peiter's ownership, he hav- ing erected all the buildings, He is a substantial and, nseful citizen, highly esteemed by his neigh- bors, and he and his family are members of Troutman's United Evangelical Church at Union-

Henry Peiter, son of John, was born about 1806 in either Greenwich or Marion township, Berks county. When he was nine years old his parents moved to what is now Jackson township, and there he grew up, being trained to farming from early boyhood. After his father's death the home- stead came into his possession, and he was a well known and much respected man in his locality. He had received a good German education and wrote German well. He was a prominent member of the Reformed congregation of Mahanoy (St. Peter's ) Church, also known locally as Krebs Church, and held the office of elder for many years. On political questions he was a Repub- lican. To him and his wife Sallie (Zartman), daughter of John Zartman, were born the fol- lowing children: Sarah married George Witmer: Elias died at Berrysburg, Pa. : Polly married Ja- cob Still and they purchased part of the Peifer homestead, on which they lived; Peggy married Jacob Witmer and they moved to Iowa, where they died : Isaac lives at Milton. Iowa, a retired farmer ; Benjamin is mentioned below : Mary died unmarried ; Henry lives at Dahnatia, Northumber- land county (he has a family of seventeen chil- dren) ; Catharine : Daniel is a resident of Jackson township.

Benjamin Peifer, son of Henry, received his education in the subscription schools which were the only loeal institutions of learning during his boyhood. In 1880 he began farming for himself as a tenant in Lower Mahanoy township, living there three years and thence moving to Jackson township. In the spring of 1887 he settled on the homestead, where he farmed for the next twenty years, and he has since rented the place to his son George. He bought the property in the fall of 1886, and found it a valuable holding. It con- sists of about two hundred acres of good land. In the spring of 1908 Mr. Peifer bought a nice home at Mandata to which he moved with his family. and he is now living retired from arduous labor. enjoying the rewards of his long years of activity. Though he always devoted hinself for the most part to his work he found time for useful citizen- ship, serving five years as school director in Jack- son township, and for a number of years he has been prominent as a member and official in the. United Evangelical Church at Mandata called

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Peifer's Church, to which his family also belong. Benjamin, who died at Trevorton, Sallie, Mrs. His father, Henry Peifer, gave the ground upon Ferster; Molly, Mrs. Jerre Wetzel; Peggy, who died unmarried; and Betzy, Mrs. James Wetzel. which the church stands, and also the lumber to . build it. Benjamin Peifer is still serving as steward of this church, which office he has held for a number of years. Politically he is a Repub- lican.

Mr. Peifer married Hettie Wolf, daughter of Jacob and Eve (Engel) Wolf, and she died at the age of twenty-two years, leaving one child, Wil- liam, who now lives at Williamstown, Pa. On . Dec. 26, 1874, Mr. Peifer married (second) Mary Jane Stepp, daughter of Bastian and Elizabeth (Maxwell) Stepp, of Lower Mahanoy township, and granddaughter of John and Rebecca (Bord- ner) Stepp and (maternally) of Thomas Maxwell, a native of England. Mr. and Mrs. Peifer have five sons and two daughters: Charles, married to Annie Gordon ; George, married to Ida Shiffer ; Jennie, married to William Michael; John; Har- vey ; Carrie, and Amnon. .

Daniel Peifer, son of Henry, is a farmer of Jackson township, where he was born on the home- stead July 2, 1850. He first attended the subscrip- tion schools, later the free schools, having the advantages of two terms in the free schools in Lower Mahanoy township. ' Farm work has always been his vocation. In 1876 he began for himself on the homestead in Jackson township, where he continued for eleven years, in 1887 moving upon his present farm, which was the John Carl home- stead. The tract contains thirty-three acres lying between Herndon. Mandata and Mahanoy, and John Carl conducted a store here for many years. Mr. Peifer is a Republican, for four years was a school director of the township, and for a number of years has been active in the work of Peifer's United Evangelical Church, of which he has been a useful member. He has served as trustee and steward, and since 1902 as exhorter. His family also belong to that church.

On Jan. 20, 1877, Mr. Peifer married Abbie E. Snyder, of Vera Cruz, daughter of the late David Snyder ( whose wife was a Lebo), and they have had three children: Laura, who married Frank Bohner, of Sunbury, Pa .; Harry L., and Eugene D.

There was a John Peifer who came from Berks county to Northumberland in his early manhood, settling near Mandata, in Jackson township, where he farmed for some years before moving to Little Mahanoy, where he was a tenant on the farm now owned by his grandson, George C. Peifer. He was born Feb. 27, 1784, and died Sept. 17, 1859, and is buried at Little Mahanov Church. His wife, Elizabeth ( Miller), born Sept. 26, 1786, died April 6, 1855. Their children were: Jonas, who died at Trevorton ; George ; Peter, who died at Little Mahanoy ; John, who died in Iowa; Elias; On Nov. 5, 1879, he married Mary J. Zartman,

George Peifer, son of John, was born Dec. 12. 1812, in Jackson township, and died June 22, 1894, in Little Mahanoy township, aged eighty- one years, six months, eleven days. He had moved to that township with his parents when a young man, married there and followed farming all his life, becoming prosperous through the exercise of industry and thrift. He owned the farm now be- longing to his son George C., and also had a tract of seventy-five acres in the Mahantango Valley, in Mahantango township, Schuylkill county, the old homestead of Sebastian Zimmerman, his father- in-law. Though busily engaged in looking after his own affairs he found time to serve the com- munity, holding the offices of supervisor and treas- urer of his township, and he was a deacon for many years of the Little Mahanoy Church, where he belonged to the Reformed congregation. His wife, Catharine, was a Lutheran member of that church, and they are buried there. She was born March 1, 1819, daughter of Sebastian and Eliza- beth (Klock) Zimmerman. and died Aug. 26, 1905. at the advanced age of eighty-six. The children of this union were as follows : Hettie, born in 1810. married Simon Dunkelberger; Catharine, born in 1842. married J. D. Reitz ; Peter is a resident of Sunbury: Sarah married Daniel Reitz: Lovina married Isaac Swinehart; Lenah married D. M. Zartman; George C. is mentioned below; Harriet married William Hetrich ; Benjamin lives in Lit- tle Mahanov: Lizzie married Edwin Hetrich, brother of William; Tilila married Benjamin Shaffer ; Miranda married William Reitz.

George C. Peifer, a farmer on the south side of the Mahanoy creek, in Little Mahanoy township, was born in that township March 1. 1851, and has lived at his present home since 1854. The only schools in the neighborhood were then subscription schools, and he enjoyed the advantages they af- forded. Working for his father until he reached the age of twenty-eight years. he subsequently farmed the place on shares until 1894. when he be- gan cultivating it for himself, and he has done very well. The property contains 105 acres of good level land, all on the south side of the creek. This farm belonged to one Miller, later to a Herb, afterward to Jacob Rein, from whom George Mil- ler purchased it in 1848, since which time it has remained in the Peifer name. The present set of buildings were constructed by the Peifers, the barn being built by George Peifer in 1855. In 1854 he built a substantial brick house, which was destroyed by lightning July 17, 1902, the present owner rebuilding the same year. Mr, Peifer has taken some part in local publie affairs, having served as supervisor and treasurer of his township.

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NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

daughter of Abraham Zartman, and they became farm originally, consisted of sixty-three acres, to the parents of eight children : Stella, wife of Els- which he added as prosperity enabled him. He worth Leader; Amanda, Mrs. H. H. Hoffinan; died there July 18, 1890, aged seventy-two years, Irwin, who married Ada Deppen; Emma, Mrs. nine months, ten days, and is buried at the United Elias E. Peifer; Agnes, who died aged ten years; Brethren Church at Rhodestown, Columbia Co., Landis, who died aged three years; Daniel, and Pa., where his wife is also interred. He was a member of the United Brethren denomination and Calvin. ' Mr. Peifer and his family are Reformed members of the Little Mahanoy Church. He is active in church life. Mrs. Clayberger dicd July a Democrat on political questions.

Elias Peifer, another son of John and Elizabeth (Miller) Peiter, was born July 20, 1820, in Little Mahanoy township, where he died March 15, 1905. He was a farmer, living at what is now the home of his son Joseph R. Peifer, and on that property he built the present barn in about 1850 and the house in 1860. This farm, which was formerly the Michael Wagner placc, contains forty-eight acres of cleared land. Mr. Peifer was a Democrat, and served some years as township supervisor. He married Molly Raker, who was born July 11, 1819, daughter of Conrad Raker, and died Jan. 13, 1883, and seven children were born to them, two dying in infancy. The others were: Harriet married Henry Dunkelberger ; Isaac is a resident of Sun- bury ; Lucinda married Albert Faswold; Alice married Wash. Zimmerman; Joseph R. is a resi- dent of Little Mahanoy township. Mr. Peifer and his family were Lutherans, holding membership in the church at Little Mahanoy, where they are buried.

EDWARD CLAYBERGER, of Lower Augusta township, has been engaged in farming there since 1906, having returned to the vocation of his early life after many years spent in mining. He was born June 4, 1855, at Aristes (Montana), near Centralia, Pa., son of Adam Clayberger.

Adam Clayberger was born Oct. 8, 1817, in Hamburg, Germany, and was twelve years old when he came to America, landing at Baltimore, Md. He lived with a Myers family, at York, Pa., to which place he had proceeded from Baltimore, and there he married the daughter, Juliann Myers, who came to America with her parents when thirteen years old. Their first child, William, was born at York. Thence the family moved to Bainbridge, Pa., where they lived for some years, next moving to a place called Stewardsville, near Mount Car- mel, Northumberland county, where Mr. Clay- berger found work driving a team. He was en- gaged on the construction of Bell's tunnel. After driving for several years he moved to Aristes ( Montana), near Centralia, where he was engaged in contracting for a year, on the building of a railroad from Centralia to Mount Carmel, and he

16, 1883;, aged sixty-seven years, eleven months. Nine children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Clay- berger: William, a carpenter, who lives at Reno- vo, Pa .; Charles, of Allentown, Pa .; Samuel, of Shamokin, Pa .; Benjamin, of Lumberton, N. J .; Sarah, Mrs. Benjamin Tyson ; Edward; Hannah, who has never married and lives with her brother Charles ; and Adam and Isaac, both deceased.

Edward Clayberger was reared on the farm and lived there until he reached the age of twenty-five years. At that time he began working in the coal mines at Shamokin, and for thirty-two years con- tinued at that work, throughout this time making his home in the borough of Shamokin. In June, 1906, he purchased his present farm in Lower Augusta township, consisting of 117 acres, which was the original Shipman homestead and remained in that family for over one hundred years. John Elsworth Shipman was the last of his family to possess it. With the assistance of his son Ralph Mr. Clayberger has made many improvements on the property since it came into his possession, and in the spring of 1910 he built the present barn. He markets his truck and produce at Shamokin, and he has made a decided success of his work in spite of the fact that he had not engaged in farming for so many years. Enterprising and progressive, he has become one of the valuable citizens of his commuinty during his comparative- ly brief residence there.

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Genealogical and biographical annals of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Vol. 2, Part 41

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