Genealogical and biographical annals of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Vol. 2, Part 52

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 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).

ROSSITER. Charles E. and William M. Ros- siter, brothers, of Sunbury, are identified with the industrial life of that borough in important ca- pacities, the former the only florist ever established there, the latter holding a responsible position at the Susquehanna Silk Mills, where he has won recognition by eminent ability and the practical

application of his wide knowledge and experience as an engineer.

the muster roll of the Charlestown company of militia, for the last part of the Revolutionary company, appears the name of Thomas Rossiter marked "cripple." There was also a Daniel Ros- siter on the muster roll of Capt. Sampson Thomas' company on Dec. 28, 1780, a soldier of the third class, and some relationship evidently existed be-

attachment formed during his illness became so strong that after the war they married and they settled on one of her father's farms in the vicinity of Valley Forge. They lived and died in that region, and are buried there. Their son. Thomas Rossiter, Jr., when seventeen years old hired out to a Quaker farmer in the neighborhood, a man named VanDerslice, among whose children was a daughter Rachel, then only three years old. The youth became so attached to her that one night he asked her father if he might marry her pro- vided he waited until she became of suitable age, and the father replied, "Thee may." When she reached the age of eighteen they were duly mar- > ried, and they lived and died in the neighborhood, where their remains rest in the Friends' burying ground at what is known as the Corner Stores, They were farming people all their lives. All their family, which consisted of six sons and one daugh- ter, were six feet or over in height. in this respect taking after their father, who stood six feet, three inches. A blacksmith by trade, his great strength was developed to an unusual extent, and he once, on a. wager, out a five-acre field of rye before breakfast. When he was eighty years old he was visited by his son Morris, who then lived at Sun- bnry, and such was his strength even at that ad- vanced age that he lifted a 100-pound anvil with one hand and threw it into the street; and at that

----

1 E

¥30

NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

age he "skinned the cat" on the branch of an elm community in which it is located. His establish- tree: He never knew what sickness was by personal ment is at No. 351 Walnut street. experience throughout his long life, dying at the Though a busy man, Mr. Rossiter has found time to cultivate his taste for taxidermy, and there are a number of specimens of his skill in that line in his office. age of eighty-seven. Of his children, Lewis died at Phoenixville, Pa., when eighty-three years old; Ellis died at Phoenixville when about eighty-six ; Thomas lived and died at Phoenixville; Joseph lived near Phoenixville; Morris was the father of Charles E. and William M. Rossiter.

In June, 1887, Mr. Rossiter married Blanche R. King, daughter of Samuel and Sarah (Croman) King, of Hughesville, later of Sunbury, where Mr. Morris Rossiter was born in 1829 at Valley Forge. He learned the trade of blacksmith, and though not acceptable as a soldier during the Civil war because not physically strong he gave able and patriotic assistance to his country helping to make eannon at the Phoenixville rolling mills. At the King died in 1908; he was a veteran of the Civil war, during which he participated in thirty-eight engagements. Six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Rossiter: Grace, who has tanght school in Sunbury for two terms and is now a student at Bucknell University, at, Lewisburg ; Morris, a grad- elose of the war, in 1865, he settled in Sunbury, uate of Sunbury high school, now attending State Northumberland county, working for the Northern College; Frank, a member of the class of 1911, Central Railroad Company at that point until the Sunbury high school; Sarah; Helen, and Paul.

road changed hands, becoming the property of the Pennsylvania & Erie Company, by which he was employed until obliged to give up work at his trade on account of failing health. Becoming a market gardener, he found that business success- ful and profitable, and followed it for nine years, his sons Charles and Harry assisting him. He died at Sunbury in 1892, and was buried in Pom- fret Manor cemetery. He was a Methodist in re- ligious connection, and politically a stanch Re- publican. He married Margaret Fullmer, daugh- ter of Ezekiel Fullmer, and to them were born four children, three sons and one daughter: An- nie, who married Samuel Stroh, a blacksmith, of Sunbury ; Charles Ellis; Harry E., born in 1864, at Lumberville, near Phoenixville, Pa., now living at Sunbury; and William Morris. The mother, who still survives, is now (1910) seventy-five years old.

CHARLES ELLIS ROSSITER was born Aug. 29, 1861, at historic Valley Forge, and came to Sun- bury with his parents in the fall of 1865. He re- eeived his education in the public schools of the borough. Mr. Rossiter worked for his father until the latter's death, and he has been employed in the florist business ever since old enough to be of any assistance, having sold his first flower when only twelve years old. The first in Sunbury to engage in this line, he is so far the only florist that has ever done business in the borough, and his busi- ness has expanded to such an extent that he now has 28,000 feet of glass in his greenhouses, which are modern in every respect and thoroughly a- dapted to the needs of his trade. He ships consid- erable out of the borough, having a wide patronage, and gives employment to from three to eight men, according to the season. Mr. Rossiter is a man of executive ability, thoroughly acquainted with the business side of the industry as well as with its technical work, and he has accordingly developed his establishment into a representative modern plant, which is a credit to his enterprise and to the

Mr. Rossiter is a Methodist in religious faith, and he is a pillar of his church, one of the working members and at present holding office. He is in- dependent in politics, voting according to the dic- tates of his conscience.

.WILLIAM MORRIS ROSSITER was born July S, 1873, in Sunbury, and there received his literary education, in the public schools. Later he took a correspondence course in mechanical engineering at a Chicago school, and he is also an accomplished man in various branches of electrical science. In his youth he became associated with his father in the florist business, working in that line at dif- ferent times until he reached the age of twenty-one. Then he became employed in the steel business, being with Ludwig Rockwell & Son for two years. He was engaged in the manufacture of bicycles, during 1897 devoting himself to the production of . the "Eclipse" wheel. His next venture was in the coal and ice business in Sunbury, dredging coal out of the Susquehanna. Since the fall of 1902 he has been associated with the Susquehanna Silk Mills. His first position with this important in- dustrial concern was as machinist, after which he was appointed master mechanic, and he has since been promoted to mechanical architectural en- gineer at this large establishment. Mr. Rossiter showed such ability along the line of architectural engineering while acting as mechanical engineer, and developed such aptitude in making practicable and valuable plans, that he came to be intrusted with all the architectural and electrical engineer- ing at the plant as well as his original responsi- bilities. His plans and estimates were so skill- fully made, and the construction so ably super- vised, that his accuracy regarding the cost was a matter of astonishment to his employers, who have shown rare appreciation of his ability. The dve house of the Susquehanna Silk Mills, constructed in the summer of 1910, is therefore a monument to his genius, as the entire construction of this build- ing of monolithic concrete, costing $60,000, was

------

NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA -

$31

placed in his hands. It is a one-story structure,

- Henry Koppenheffer, son of Thomas, was old 150 by 220 feet in dimensions, and has a double and feeble when he died, in August, 1807. He left eement roof with three-inch air chamber. During the ereetion of this building he had 120 men un- der his charge. Ordinarily he has thirty-five. He is of an inventive mind, making extensive improve-

and granted patents on some of his inventions. Mr. Rossiter is a self-made man, having risen to posi- tion and prosperity by his own efforts, and he is a hard worker, deserving the good fortune that has come to him. Like his brother, he is a taxidermist of ability, and although he has many other eares he has done considerable work in this line in his leisure hours. He is a member of Maelay Lodge, No. 632, F. & A. M., and of the Temple Club at Sunbury.

On Oet. 11, 1899, Mr. Rossiter married Ella B. Gross, daughter of Isaac M. and Amelia (Han- coek) Gross, who own the historic Fort Augusta property, the fort dating from 1756. More com- plete mention of the Gross family will be found elsewhere in this work. Mr. and Mrs. Rossiter have had six children, Jane, Gertrude, Monroe, Mary, William and Marcello. The family oeenpy a beautiful residenee on North Front street. They are members of the Reformed Church.

During the Spanish-American war Mr. Rossiter was in the service as a member of Company I, 1st after a well spent life. He is a Republican and Regiment, United States Volunteer Engineers, a regiment composed of engineers of all descriptions, civil, mechanical, electrical, ete., assembled by spe- cial act of Congress, and containing men from ev- ery section of the United States: This regiment numbered 1,100 strong, sturdy men, selected from nearly six thousand applicants. They were en- camped at Camp Townsend, Peekskill, N. Y., where the regiment was mobilized and mustered. ten children : Lillie, Mrs. D. W. Erb : Laura, Mrs. They embarked from New York Aug. 6, 1898, and arrived in Porto Rico ten days later. This regi- ment was part of General Miles's expedition. made extensive surveys of the island, built bridges and roads, erected iee plants and waterworks and put things in general in good sanitary condition.

REV. GEORGE KOPENHAVER, of Mahanoy, Northumberland county, a clergyman of the Re- formed denomination, has five churches in his pres- ent charge: St. Peter's, at Mahanoy : Himmel's, at Rebuck : St. Paul's, at Urban : Zion's, at Hern- don, and St. David's, at Hebe. Ile is a native of Schuylkill county. Pa., born Dec. 14, 1872.

The first known aneestor of the Koppenheffer (name variously spelled) family was Thomas Kop- penheffer, a resident of Heidelberg township, Leb- anon Co., Pa., who died there prior to 1762. He left a wife and the following children: Henry, Michael, Sinon, Thomas (who in 1808 resided in Bethel township), Regina (married John Tice), Eve and Catharine.

a wife, Catharine, and children : Henry, Eliza- beth, Catharine, Eve, Margaret, Barbara and Christina amHenry Houtz

i One Christopher Koppenheffer (probably a

ments on textile machinery, and has been allowed brother of Thomas) died in Heidelberg township, Lebanon county, in September, 1785, leaving a wife, Barbara (Snebely ), and a daughter, Cath- arine, who married Christ. Ley, of Heidelberg township.

Jonathan Koppenheffer, grandfather of Rev. George E., is buried at St. John's Church, near Berrysburg, Dauphin Co., Pa. He was a farmer. His wife's maiden name was Hepner, and their children were: Emanuel, George, John, Moses, Emeline (married), Sarah (married Elias Schaup), Catharine (married William Matter), Emma (married Henry Witmer) and Mary (mar- ried Simon Lahr).

John Koppenheffer, son of Jonathan, was born in Mifflin township, Dauphin Co., Pa., in August, 1838. He was reared to farm life and began farm- ing for himself in Mifflin township, where he eon- tinued to be so engaged for some twelve years. He served during the latter part of the Civil war, in an infantry regiment. In 1905 he retired to Vera Cruz, where he enjoys the comforts he deserves was seliool director of Lower Mahanoy township a number of years, and always was a strong advo- cate of education. He has reared a most creditable family, two of his sons being in the ministry, and one a farmer on the homestead. His wife, Han- nah, daughter of Daniel and Lueetta (Sehref- fler) Moyer, died Oet. 31, 1905, aged six- ty-six years, six months, three days. They had Ephraim Witmer: Lizzie, Mrs. Jonathan H. Wit- mer ; Annie, Mrs. II. M. L. Bohner; Carrie, Mrs. William Weaver ; Mabel, Mrs. Monroe Phillips : Mary (twin of Mabel), Mrs. Jacob Dreibelbies ; Rev. H. Grant, who was stationed at North Caro- lina; Rev. George E., and William L.

George E. Kopenliaver was but one year of age when his parents eame to Mifflin township. Dauph- in county, where they lived about one year. Then they settled in Lower Mahanoy township, where their son George E. received his early education in the publie schools. He then attended a sum- mer normal school at Dalmatia, and at the age of eighteen years was licensed to teach school by Prof. W. C. Bloom. then superintendent of schools of Northumberland county. He taught his first terni at Washington schoolhouse. in Lower Ma- hanoy township, and also another term in the same township, at Vera Cruz ( Malta P. O.). While teaching he took a spring term in Central Penn- sylvania College and in the spring of 1894 entered Ursinus Academy, the following year entering the

i 1

732

NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

ated in June, 1899. He took a post-graduate course there and was an instructor in the academic department for two years, after which he taught the Winfield (Md.) Academy one year. In 1902 he entered the Ursinus School of Theology, then located at No. 3262 Chestnut street, Philadelphia, but now affiliated with Tiffin Seminary and lo- cated at Dayton, Ohio. Ile graduated from the Ursinus School of Theology in Philadelphia in 1905, and his first charge was at McAdoo, Pa., where he was stationed about two years. He was then called to a large field at Ringtown, in the . same county, preaching there sixteen months, when he received a call from the Mahanoy charge, which he has since served. He has over five hun- dred members at these five churches to look after, and is a conscientious and effective worker. He has resided with his family at Mahanoy sinee 1908. Mr. Kopenhaver is a close student of the Serip- tures, and he has a good working library.

In 1901 Mr. Kopenhaver married Cora A. Wit- mer, daughter of Ephraim and Harriet (Hain) Witiner, of Lower Mahanoy township. Mrs. Kop- enhaver taught school in that township for a period of nine years. She is an intelligent, capable wom- an, an ideal minister's helpmate. Mr. and Mrs. Kopenhaver have three children : Ralph W., Han- nah J. and Mary E.

Benneville Koppenhaffer, a citizen of Lower Ma- hanoy township, whose home is along the Mahan- tango creek, was born Aug. 25, 1829, son of Ben- jamin and Hannah ( Radel) Koppenhaffer, and grandson of Michael Koppenhaffer (also spelled Koppenhaver), who lived in the Lykens Valley, where he operated a large farm, and where he died about 1831, aged seventy-one years. He is buried at St. John's Church, near Berrysburg. His wife, Catharine Garret, died some years after her hus- band. They had the following children : Michael, John, Jonathan, George, Daniel, Benjamin, Cath- arine, Betsy and Sarah.

Benjamin Koppenhaffer. son of Michael. was born Feb. 22, 1801, and died April 10, 1871. His wife, Hannah Radel. was a daughter of. John Radel. Mr. Koppenhaffer was a farmer in the Lykens Valley, where he owned a tract of eighty acres. His latter years he spent with his son Benneville, dying at Vera Cruz. He was a mem- ber of St. John's Union Church of Berrysburg, where he held various church offices, he and his wife later belonging to the Vera Cruz Church. She later married John A. Snyder. being his third wife. To Benjamin Koppenhaffer and his wife were born five sons and three daughters: Joel, David, Henry, John. Benneville, Dinah (married John Lehman), Mary Ann (died unmarried) and Sallie (married John Miller).

Benneville Koppenhaffer was born and reared in

collegiate department, from which he was gradu- Mifflin township, in the Lykens Valley. He learned blacksmithing and followed that trade for thirty years at different places while he was young, later having a shop along the Mahantango creek. on the Dauphin county side. He then purehased his present eighty-one-acre farm on the Northum- berland county side of the Mahantango creek, and there farmed until his retirement, in 1898, being sueceeded by his son Benneville, Jr. He is a Dem- ocrat and was a school director of Lower Mahanoy township for six years. He and his family are Lutheran members of the Vera Cruz Church, which he served as deacon and elder.

On Jan. 1, 1854, Mr. Koppenhaffer married Susan Witmer, daughter of Michael Witmer, and to them have been born twelve children: Cathar- ine, married to Isaac Snyder; Anna, married to Daniel Snyder : Matilda, who married Philip Zerbe and (second) Philip Updegrove; Sarah, who died unmarried ; Emma, married to Daniel Snyder (no relative to the others) : John; Isaac; Benneville; William ; Jacob, who died aged seven years; and two daughters, who died young.

PETER CLEMENT, the ancestor of a numer- ous posterity who now reside in Northumberland county, many writing the name Clemens, was a native of Berks county, Pa., born in that part now included in Schuylkill county, and there lived in Pine Grove township. Coming to Northumber- land county, he settled in the vicinity of Augusta- ville, in Lower Augusta (now Rockefeller) town- ship, and there followed farming. He died in 1817, wlien about forty-six years old, and is buried at the old Augustaville Union Church. His wife, Sophia Kramer, born Sept. 16, 1781, survived him many years, dying Feb. 18, 1834, and she, too, is buried at the Augustaville Church. They had chil- dren as follows: Samuel, who lived and died at Sunbury, was a boat contractor and builder, his nephew. Benjamin, working for him some years (he had two children, Nelson and another) ; Michael died young ; Abraham is mentioned below ; Jacob and John settled at Harrisburg; Peter is mentioned below: Hannah went out West, where she married, lived and died.

Peter Clement, son of Peter, born Dee. 25, 1813, in Jaekson township, Northumberland county, did laboring work, and owned a few acres of land upon which he lived, located about two miles north of Herndon. This home his grand- son, Francis Clement, now owns and occupies. Peter Clement was a Lutheran in religions faith. He died March 8. 1854, and was buried in a private graveyard in Jackson township, near Deppen's schoolhouse, but later he was re-interred at Peif- er's United Evangelical Church, at Mandata. His wife, Rebecca (Adams), born Jan. 28, 1814, died Aug. 26, 1864. They were the parents of the fo !- lowing children : Benjamin ; Abraham ; Isaac : Jere-

733

NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

miah; Peter; Samuel; Mary, who married John Hile ; Lovina, who married James Wetzel ; and Ab- bie, who married Daniel Reitz.

Benjamin Clement, son of Peter and Rebecca (Adams) Clement, was born in Jackson township,

FRANCIS CLEMENT, son of Benjamin, was born and was reared by Benjamin Heim and wife, who Dec. 8, 1875, in Jackson township, was reared on had stood sponsors for him at his baptism; he the homestead, and has followed farming there all his days. He now owns the old homestead place, the property at present comprising sixty-eight acres, and is regarded as one of the thoroughly progressive young agriculturists of his district. Peter Clement, his grandfather, built the barn on this farm. and the other buildings were erected by Benjamin Clement, father of the present owner. On Oct. 11, 1908, Francis Clement married Alice Tressler, daughter of William Tressler, of Rocke- feller township. Mr. and Mrs. Clement are mem- bers of the United Evangelical Church (Peifer's) at Mandata.

was named Benjamin after Mr. Heim. The Heims had no children, and after they died Benjamin Clement became the owner of their eighty-acre farm, where he settled in 1861 and passed the remainder of his life, cultivating it from the time of his marriage until his death. His widow and three of his children still make their home on that place, which is in Jackson township. Mr. Clement learned the trade of carpenter, which he followed during his earlier life. He died in Jack- son township Jan. 19, 1909, aged seventy-four years, four months, seventeen days. He was a member of Peifer's United Evangelical Church, which he served officially, and he and his wife are buried at that church. Politically he was a Democrat, and he was quite active in public af- fairs, serving as supervisor and overseer of the poor of Jackson township. His wife, Mary (Brow- er), was a daughter of Nathan Brower, of Jack- son township. They had a family of eight chil- dren : Ira B. is mentioned later; Jane married Oliver Leffler ; Flora married Harvey Hess; How- ard is a resident of Herndon, Pa .; Daniel died Dec. 20, 1898, aged twenty-six years, eight months, twelve days; Francis is mentioned later: Bertha , and Amanda are both unmarried, and they and their brother Francis continue to make their home on the old place.

IRA B. CLEMENT, son of Benjamin. is engaged in farming in Rockefeller township, where he has a valuable place of 135 acres. He is a native of Jackson township, born Sept. 2, 1863, and was reared to farming, in his early inanhood hiring out among farmers until he reached the age of twenty-five. In the spring of 1889 he began farm- ing for himself on the Daniel Holshue farm, in Lower Mahanoy township, where he was a tenant for fifteen years. He then farmed the Israel By- erly place near Hickory Corners, in the same town- ship, for a period of two years, in the spring of 1906 moving to his present farm, in Rockefeller township, which was formerly the Jared Snyder place. Mrs. Clement was reared on this farm. It is nicely located and in an excellent state of culti- vation, Mr. Clement being an intelligent, indus- trious farmer, ranking among the substantial citi- zens of his township. He is serving at present as one of the members of the school board. Mr. Clement is a Democrat in political matters, and he is a member of Peifer's Evangelical Church at Mandata. His wife is a member of the Emanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church in Rockefeller town- ship.

On Sept. 14. 1889, Mr. Clement married Ella Snyder, daughter of Jared and Elizabeth ( Rebuck) Snyder, and they have a family of four children : Mary, Amanda, Mabel and Samuel.

Abraham Clement, another son of Peter, the pioneer in Northumberland county, was born April 6, 1816, in Lower Augusta township, where he lived for a time, later moving to Milton and thence to Mooresburg. He was a miller by trade, and fol- lowed farming also, living with his son Peter, however, for some years before his death. He died in Point township, where his son Peter now lives, March 27, 1895, aged seventy-nine years less eleven days, and is buried at the Oak Grove Church in Montour county. His wife, Incy Ann ( Heilman), was a daughter of Daniel Heihnan, of Lower Au- gusta township, and died when sixty-three years of age. She, too', is buried at Oak Grove Church. Fourteen children were born to this couple : Peter ; Sophia, born March 16. 1843 (married Elias Bay- lor) : Christiana (married Peter Seiler) ; Daniel, born Nov. 22, 1845; Mary ( Maria), horn Dec. 17, 1846 (married D. C. Young ; she was lame ) ; John, born March 3, 1848; Samuel, born Feb. 27, 1849 (deceased) : Abram, born Sept. 12, 1850; Jane; Jeremiah, born Sept. 29, 1855; Hannah, born March 3, 1857 (married S. Raup) ; Catharine, born June 1, 1858 (married Samuel Wagner) ; Jacob and Lucy, both of whom died in infancy. Some of this family are out West.

PETER CLEMENS, son of Abraham and Lucy Ann ( Heilman) Clement, was born Oct. 29, 1841, in Lower Augusta township. He was educated in the public schools and brought up to farm life, which he has followed most successfully. When twenty- three years old he enlisted at Philadelphia in Company I, 112th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infan- try, and served almost two years, lacking only a few days of that period. Returning to his home county after the war he was married March ??. 1866. to Caroline Brouse, daughter of Samuel Bronse, of Suyder county, later of Northumber- land county, and then located in Point township. He did laboring work for one year, in the spring

---------------

1 1

----

:34

NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

of 1867 moving to Montandon, where he resided a few years, until the spring of 1870. He has married Irwin Faus; Cora married Charles Rine since farmed in Point township, where he rented land for twenty years, in the year 1889 settling on his present place in that township, a fifty-three- aere farm of good limestone soil, where he has profitably followed general farming and trucking. For eighteen years he also engaged in lime-burn- ing, carrying on that business until 1907, so ex- tensively that. he burned as much as 95,000 bush- els in one year. Mr. Clemens has been interested

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. 2, Part 52

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