Genealogical and biographical annals of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Vol. 2, Part 55

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 55

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the Carolinas, Ohio and through the West, besides scale, and he was a pioneer general merchant of having many representatives in Pennsylvania.

Henry Wirt (or Wert) was a pioneer farmer

Sunbury, also dealing in grain, which was shipped by canalboat to Philadelphia and of the Mahantango Valley, in Northumberland there exchanged for merchandise which was brought. from Philadelphia to Sunbury by the same means of transportation. In 1826- 27 he crected a large brick building which had a frontage of sixty feet on the south side of Market street, the site embracing part of what later became the courthouse yard and the property where Judge C. R. Savidge now lives. At the eastern side was an archway, the only one embodied in a store at Sunbury; it led to a large warehouse at the rear of the lot, where grain and produce were stored. Mr. Yoxtheimer owned one of the first canalboats regularly engaged in the carrying trade between Sunbury and Philadelphia, and he was a pioneer coal operator at Shamokin. After his death his store at Sunbury was continued by his sons-in-law, John W. Fryling and William. T. Grant. It was one of the leading business establishments of the town for some years.

Mr. Yoxtheimer was twice married, his first wife being Margaret Malick, who bore him two chil- dren : Margaret married John W. Fryling, who is now deceased ; William (deceased) served in the Civil war and was a resident of Safe Harbor, Lancaster Co., Pa. Mr. Yoxtheimer's second mar- riage was to Mrs. Nancy (Bacon) Follmer, and they had one child, Rachel, who married William T. Grant, late of Sunbury.

WIRT. In business and agricultural life the Wirt family is represented among the substantial citizens of several portions of Northumberland county. Its members have been useful and worthy residents of the several communities with which they have been identified, and the name has always been associated with the qualities of integrity and thrift which characterize those who bear it. Ben- neville Wirt, now of Sunbury, was long engaged in the hotel business in the borough of Mount Carmel. Daniel W. Wirt, his brother, is a pros- perous farmer of Little Malianoy township. John Wirt, their cousin, a resident of Rockefeller town- ship, is one of the leading undertakers in his sec- tion of this county. We give the line of these Wirts as far back as the records show.

`county, having settled in that section when the Indians still roamed the forests, and the Red men were neighborly with "Henner" Wirt, to whom they bade farewell when they left the region. He and his wife Elizabeth are buried side by side at the Stone Valley Church in Lower Mahanoy. where we find the following tombstone records : Johann Heinrich Wirth, born Dec. 22, 1769, died. June 2, 1846; his wife Elizabeth, born Nov. 30, 1771, died Sept. 6, 1838. They had children as follows: John and Michael ( born March 16, 1:98, died Dec. 27, 1872; wife Lydia, born June 18, 1809, died Sept. 2, 1884), who both lived in the Mahantango valley ; Henry and Philip, who lived in the Sugar Valley, near Lewisburg, Pa .; Mrs. Philip Kerstetter; Mrs. Michael Schaffer; and Mrs. Peter Bischoff.

John Wirt, son of Henry, lived for a number of years in the Mahantango Valley, in 1838 settling at Mandata, where he engaged in the milling busi- ness. That year he built the frame mill at Man- data, which is still standing, and he followed the business for a number of years, prospering con- tinuously. He acquired considerable land about Mandata. He and his family worshipped at the Stone Valley Lutheran Church, where he and his wife Barbara, daughter of Matthias Witmer, are buried, their tombstone records reading as fol- lows: Johannes Wirth, born Noy. 16, 1795. died Sept. 8, 1852; his wife Barbara, born Nov. 30. 1794, died July 30, 1871. Their children were as follows: Lydia married David Campbell ; Eliza- beth was the second wife of David Campbell : Catharine married Jacob Garman : Anna married Frederick Snyder: Mary married Martin Harris: Michael died soon after his marriage to Marv Lesher : John married Judith Wentzel: Daniel married Rebecca Seiler ; Moses married Mary Ann Spotts.

John Wirt, son of John and grandson of Henry, was born April 26, 1826, in Lower Mahanoy town- ship, on his father's farm, and is now probably the oldest surviving resident of that district. In his earlier manhood he followed the milling busi- ness, but since 1875 he has lived at Mandata, where

The name is variously spelled Wirt and Wert he conducted a store for fourteen years, being quite

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NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

successful as a merchant. He also farmed for some years, now living in retirement and the enjoy- ment of the rest he earned by years of industry. During the Civil war Mr. Wirt was drafted three times. He married Judith Wentzel, who died Oct. 1, 1902, aged cighty-one years, nine months, twelve days; she is buried at the Stone Valley Church. Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Wirt, namely: Bonneville ; William of Man- data, wlio in his earlier life was engaged in cattle F. & A. M.

dealing (he married Sarah, daughter of Elias Bower, and has two sons and two daughters) ; Daniel W .; and Michael, deceased.

BENNEVILLE WIRT, son of John and Judith (Wentzel) Wirt, was born June 29, 1848, in Jor- dan township, Northumberland county. He was reared to manhood under the parental roof, and during his youth assisted his father as clerk in the store, making himself generally useful. At the age of fifteen lie commenced to learn the miller's trade at Mandata from one William Good, follow- ing that work for seventeen years in all, working nine years for his father in the milling business after he had thoroughly mastered its details. He then rented a mill at the mouth of Mahantango creek, known as Boyer's mill. which he operated successfully, but he remained there only a short time, the following spring going to Millersburg, where for three years he ran a flour mill for San- uel Buck. The mill was sold at the end of that period and Mr. Wirt continued with the new own- ers for four years. In 1882 he came thence to - Mr. Wirt has not only become well known in his section as a successful farmer, but also in liis connection with local public affairs, he having served fourteen years as school director of Little Mahanoy township, five years as supervisor under the old law, and three years in that office under Mandata, where he lived while engaged in his cattle dealing operations, purchasing carloads of cattle in Crawford county which he sold at Hern- don, this county. In this line he was associated with his brother William, under the firm name of Wirt Brothers, and they continued in the business the new law. For years his chief recreation has two years. In the spring of 1884 Benneville Wirt been found in fishing, and before the sulphur of located at Herndon, where he conducted the "Un- the coal mines killed the fish of the Mahanoy ion House" (now the "Wiest Hotel") for one creeks he caught large numbers. His trips are year, after which he settled in Mount Carmel. He usually successful, and he takes great delight in

was a resident of that borough for over twenty- five years, for a quarter of a century conducting a hotel there. When he gave up that business, after a successful career, he lived retired at Mount Car- mel for two years, in September, 1907, coming to Sunbury, where he now makes his home. Though he has given up many of his responsibili- ties he still attends to the management of his property, owning considerable real estate which he acquired as he prospered in his other ventures, and he has valuable holdings in Mount Carmel and Hazleton, Pa., and in Brooklyn, N. Y. He also deals in real estate, and has been connected with a number of important transactions in that line. Mr. Wirt has always enjoyed excellent standing among those with whom he has been associated in business, having a high reputation for honor and straightforwardness in all his undertakings.

On April 30, 1871, Mr. Wirt married Mary Malinda Witiner, daughter of Isaac L. Witmer, and to their union have been born eight children, six of whom are deccased. The survivors arc Alice, wife of U. J. Evans, of Scranton, Pa., and Charles of Sunbury. Mr. Wirt and his family are mem- bers of the Reformed Church. He is a Republican in politics, and a Mason in social connection, hold- ing membership in Mount Carmel Lodge, No. 318,(2)

DANIEL W. WIRT, son of John and Judith (Wentzel) Wirt, was born April 11, 1855, at Man- data, and was reared at that place. He was trained to farming, and when quite young began driving his father's huckster wagon, being thus engaged until 1876, the year of his marriage. After that for many years he cultivated what was formerly the Scholly-homestead, which he owns, a tract of 140 acres located on the Little Mahanoy creek. which has the reputation of being the finest. and most valuable farm in Little Mahanoy township. It is unusually well watered, is in a high state of cultivation, and improved with substantial and convenient buildings, all kept in first-class condi- tion. The Swiss barn on this property was built by Mr. Wirt in 1881, and replaced the one destroyed by fire that year. The present dwelling was erected in 1882. Mr. Wirt retired from the active work of farming in the spring of 1908, since when the place has been carried on by his son- in-law, Conrad Raker.

a good catch.

In 1876 Mr. Wirt married Amanda Swartz, daughter of the late David and Elizabeth (Shaffer) Swartz. To this union was born one child, Tama, now the wife of_Conrad Raker. who as previously stated is now engaged in cultivating the Wirt farm. Mr. and Mrs. Wirt have one son. Fred. Mr. and Mrs. Wirt are members of the Lutheran congrega- tion of St. Paul's Church, at Urban, in Jordan township. Politically he is a Demoerat.

Daniel Wirt. son of John and grandson of Hen- ry, was born May 6, 1829, at Mandata, in Jordan township, Northumberland county, and died there Sept. 9, 1855, at the early age of twenty-six years. His death was caused by typhoid fever. Early in life he began to learn the milling business, work- ing at the Mandata mill for ten years, until his

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NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

death. He owned the property, obtaining it from his family are members of the Reformed congrega- his father, and was on the road to prosperity when tion at Augustaville. He is a Republican and has taken considerable interest in local politics, hav- ing served as judge of elections. He was constable for many years, and has also been supervisor of his township. cut down so suddenly. He was a particularly well built and strong man, and his early death was deeply mourned. On Jan. 10, 1853, he married Rebecca Seiler, daughter of Jacob and Elizabetlı (Ebright) Seiler, residents of Jackson township, this county. Daniel Wirt is buried at Zion's Church in Stone Valley, of which he and his wife were Lutheran members. They had two children, John and Sarah. the daughter marrying Dr. Rich- ard P. Haas; they reside at Williamstown, Pa. Ten years after Mr. Wirt's death his widow mar- ried Henry Dornsife, of Little Mahanoy township, and they moved to Kansas City, Mo. They had four children. Ervin. Elizabeth, Samuel and Dan- iel, all in Kansas City. Mrs. Dornsife is now (1911) seventy-seven years old.

JOHN WIRT, son of Daniel and Rebecca (Seiler) Wirt, was born Oct. 5, 1855, at Mandata, Jordan township. He received his education in the com- mon schools, and when sixteen commenced to learn cabinetmaking, which he has continued to follow to the present time. He served his apprenticeship at Sunbury, and at the end of eight years' train- ing and experience there began working for the Pennsylvania Railway Company in the shops at Renovo, Clinton Co., Pa., remaining there six years. In the spring of 1885 he canie to Rocke- feller township, this county, settling near Seven Points, at the place where he has since made his home. Here he owns one of the best farms in the county, a level, fertile tract in a high state of cul- tivation, for though he has combined farming with lis other interests he has made a success of both.

Moses Wert, son of John and grandson of Henry, was born Jan. 24, 1832, in the Mahan- tango Valley in Lower Mahanoy township, North- umberland county. He was a lifelong farmer, liv- ing in Jordan township, near Mandata, where he He is a practical agriculturist, as his fine crops had a tract of two hundred acres, until fourteen show, and his buildings and all the farin surround- or fifteen years before his death, when he retired. ings bespeak excellent management and a care in the details which betokens unusual executive abil- ity. In 1904 Mr. Wirt erected a large hay barn, and in 1905 he remodeled the residence. He is con- stantly making changes which improve the appear- ance of his property and enhance its value as a home as well as from a more material point of view. Upon giving up active labor he settled in Herndon, where he died in 1904. His widow still occupies their home at that place. He was a man well known and highly respected, and though he de- voted himself principally to the management of his own affairs, he served as supervisor. He was a Democrat in politics and in religion a Lutheran, his family adhering to the same belief. In his earlier years he belonged to the Stone Valley Church, but after removing to Herndon he became a member of the church there, and he is buried in the Wirt and Shaffer family plot at Herndon. He was a devout Christian and an enthusiastic church worker, serving in various church offices and tak- ing a keen interest in the welfare of the Sunday school.

Meantime Mr. Wirt has followed the undertak- ing business, in the pursuit of which he has become one of the best known men in his section of the county, his patronage coming . principally from Shamokin, Rockefeller and Lower Augusta town- ships, though he has had many customers outside of that particular territory. Since he embarked in that business, in 1890, he has conducted 1.468 funerals. He is an intelligent and esteemed citi- zen, and has high standing among his neighbors and friends.

On Jan. 15, 1880, Mr. Wirt married Emma Caroline Weiser, and they have three children : Jennie M., now the wife of Frederick Drumheller, of Sunbury ; Earl; and Benlah R. Mr. Wirt and

Mrs. Wirt is a descendant of Conrad Weiser, the celebrated interpreter and friend of the In- dians, whose name is so closely linked with the Colonial history of this section of Pennsylvania. Her grandfather, Jacob Weiser, was a grandson of Conrad, and had brothers Peter, John, Jonathan and Thomas, and sisters Caroline, Lavinia, and five not named. Jacob Weiser was a native of near Womelsdorf, in Heidelberg township, Berks Co., Pa., was a carpenter by occupation, and lived near Herndon, in Northumberland county. He married Mary Magdalena Highhold, who was from Mvers- town, Lebanon Co., Pa., and who was a member of the family generally known by its proper name of Eichholtz, of which "Highhold" is an Anglicized corruption ; most of the family use the original spelling. Jacob and' Mary Magdalena Weiser had a family of twelve children, six sons and six daugh- ters, namely: Elizabeth Regina, Rebecca, Reuben, John, Caroline, Emanuel, Levi, Lavinia, Clemen- tine, Sarah A., Jeremiah G. and Jonathan. Of these, Reuben, who married Esther Malick, was the father of Mrs. John Wirt.

Mr. Wert married Mary Ann Spotts and they had four children, namely : Clara Rebecca married George T. Shaffer, of Herndon. who is deceased : Emma J. married John P. Tressler, of Herndon : Alveretta, who died in 1886, was the wife of Dr. Fred D. Raker, of Shamokin; John A. married Ella S. Eisenhart.

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NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

The following account of the Wirts was given the bricklayer's trade, which he followed some by Mrs. Emma Wert Lentz, of Altoona, Pa .: My time, and then began contraeting and building. great-grandfather's name was John Wirt 1st and He was very successful and continued in active my grandfather's name was John Wirt 2d. He work until his death, April 12, 1906. He was was married to Elizabeth Miller. They had seven sons and two daughters (my father, Simon Wirt,

buried at a church near Allentown. He married Susanna Heberly, who died in 1904. They had of Millersburg, being the oldest), Simon, Elias, four sons: Rev. Sefellen E., a graduate of Frank- Josiah, Joseph, Jonathan, Amos, Benjamin, Su- san and Rebeeca.

I glean from my father's obituary that his grandfather was a Revolutionary soldier, served seven years under George Washington and parti- cipated in the battles of Germantown and Brandy- wine. His father, John Wirt, 2d, was in the war of 1812 and had a son and grandsons in the Civil war. I have lost sight of some of my cousins and cannot give an accurate list. There were five in our immediate family : (1) Linda E. E. (2) Sarah A. married H. H. Moper, of Millersburg, and had three sons : Charles E., of Hughesville, Pa .; Simon, of Harrisburg, Pa. ; and H. H. Neff, de- ceased. Her second marriage was to Jonas Gar- . man of Lykens by whom she had two daughters,

Jessie and Pauline, Mrs. William Ennis and Mrs. Russell Brodus, both of Bowling Green, Va. (3) Mary C. married Cyrus Mark, of Lebanon county, and (seeond) Frank S. Bowman, of Millersburg, and had two sons : Hay Wirt, editor of the Millers- burg. Sentinel, and Rev. Dr. Linn, pastor of Park Avenue M. E. Church, Philadelphia. (4) Rev. John A., D. D. married Martha Buehler, of Get- tysburg, and had four sons, Ray and Edgar, de- ceased, Jolin (married) and Guyon. (5) Emma J. married Rev. D. S. Lentz, and has had four children, Suzanne, Linda Wirt, Marie, and David (deceased). .

Edgar, son of Dr. Wirt, of Des Moines, was married and had two children, a daughter and a a member of Lodge No. 291, F. & A. M., Malone, son.

WILLIAM E. STOFFLETT, jeweler and op- tician at Shamokin. Pa., has enjoyed a career in that city that is a good illustration of what may be accomplished in a very short time by true worth and the exercise of upright business principles. Mr. Stofflett came to Shamokin in 1902, and in these few years has won a merited place in the front rank of the best and most prominent eitizens.

The early home of the Stofilett family was in Alsace Lorraine, France, the emigrant aneestor coming from there to America and settling in what is now Northampton county, Pa., and in the latter plaee Josiah Stofflett, great-grandfather of William E., was born. He followed farming, and led a life of industry and integrity.

Levi Stofflett, son of Josiah, was born in North- ampton county, and he, too, beeame a farmer. He .died in his native eounty.

Joseph Stofflett, son of Levi. was born in North- ampton county. In his young manhood he learned

lin and Marshall College, Laneaster, Pa., is now a minister of the Reformed Church, and is located at Hazleton, Pa. Levi J. continued his father's contraeting business, and is located in North- ampton county. William E. is mentioned below. Joseph H., a graduate of Franklin and Marshall College, Laneaster, was admitted to the North- ampton bar, and died in 1902, a young man of great promise.

William E. Stofflett was born near Allentown, Pa., Aug. 7, 1870, and attended the local schools and Allentown business college. He then began to learn the jeweler's trade, spending two years in Reading with G. A. Sliehter. From Reading he went to New York City, where he was employed for twelve years. Coming to Shamokin in 1902 he established his present place of business, and now has the leading store of its kind in this section. His progressive spirit and honorable methods have made him exceedingly popular. His stock is large and of wide assortment, embracing every- thing to be found in a thoroughly up-to-date jew- elry store. He is himself not only a thorough watchmaker, competent to regulate the most intri- eate of timepieces, but he is a lieensed optician, holding a diploma from the Speneer Optical In- stitute in New York City. His establishment is well equipped with all the appliances necessary for making eye examinations and fitting glasses.

Mr. Stofffett is active in fraternal work. He is N. Y .; Shamokin Chapter, No. 264, R. A. M .; Shamokin Commandery, No. 127, K. T. ; Williams- port Consistory, thirty-second degree; and Rajah Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., of Reading. He also belongs to the local lodge of Elks, and the Business Men's Association.

Mr. Stofflett married Lydia Miller, daughter of Edward Miller, of Utica, N. Y., and they have one daughter, Ruth, who is still in school. Politically Mr. Stofflett is a Republican, but he has never taken much active part in party work.

AMBROSE S. CAMPBELL, of Rush township, Northumberland county, engaged in farming. trucking and fruit growing, traces his ancestral line back to John Campbell, a native of the North of Ireland wlio eame to Ameriea about 1775 and settled at Philadelphia, Pa. On March 4, 1786, he married Elizabetli Stauts, of Bueks county, Pa., who was born Nov. 25, 1768. They soon moved to Milton, Northumberland Co., Pa., where Mr. Campbell purchased the farm which he tilled

NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

747

until his death, which occurred Dec. 19, 1810. married Hiram Carl, had four children, and died Mrs. Campbell survived him almost thirty-two years, mncantine removing with some of her ehil- dren to Owego, Tioga Co., N. Y., where she died March 10, 1842. Mr. and Mrs. Campbell were stanch members of the Presbyterian Church. They were the parents of the following children :

(1) Mary, born Jan. 5. 1787, married Jolin Carpenter Mareh 4, 1806, and died Aug. 6, 1847. She was the mother of eleven children, viz: Eliza. born Dec. 29, 1806, married Andrew Marshall March 4, 1823, and had twelve children; David, born April 8, 1809, married Mary Ware Aug. 2, 1832, and had one child by that union, on Feb. 11, 1836, marrying (second) M. Miteheltree, by whom he had five children : Priscilla, born May 6, 1811, married Jan. 24, 1828, John Pepperman, and had twelve children; Jesse B., born Oct. 10, 1813, married May 4, 1847, Phoebe Carpenter (no relative) and had four children; Nancy, born Nov. 14, 1815, died April 1, 1819; Susan A., born March 9, 1818, married Levi Tate July 29, 1838, and had nine children; Sophia, born April 16, 1820, married Jonas Newcomber Jan. 15, 1835, and Elvira F. (born Dec. 25, 1858, married Wil- and had six children; Maria A., born Feb. 12, liam C. King Sept. 15, 1881).

1822, married Joseph L. Rank Jan. 15, 1839, and " had ten ehildren ; John J., born May 1, 1824, mar- ried Mary Marshall Dec. 22, 1846, and had seven children ; William, born April 6, 1826, died in in- fancy ; Rebecca, born July 29, 1829, died Jan. 26, 1847. John Carpenter, the father of this family, died' at Williamsport, Pa., July 3, 1865.

(2) Jane, born Dec. 5. 1789, was married March 17, 1807, to Philip Goodman, who for many. years kept a hotel at Danville. Pa. He was born Sept. 8, 1785, and died at Danville Sept. 1, 1837, Mrs. Goodman dying there Dec. 23, 1847. They had five children: Peter S., born Dec. 24, 1808. married Sarah Van De Mark July 20. 1828, and died Jan. 11, 1854 (he had two children) ; Ann Eliza, born Nov. 22, 1810. was married March 6. 1833, to Dr. Samuel G. Maus, of Danville, and died Dcc. 6, 1882, in Chicago, Ill. (she had three children ) ; John C., born Jan. 22, 1813, dicd young ; Priscilla C., born Feb. 12, 1814, married Oct. 15, 1833, Isaac B. Ogden, and had nine chiil- dren; Isaac C., born April 19, 1816, died in in- fancy.

(3) David, born Dec. 5, 1791. married Dee. 12, 1810, Elizabeth Wilson, and died April 24, 1821. His five children were: Jane. born May 16, 1813, married Daniel Bradshaw and had two children : Philip, born in 1815, died in 1855: Amv. born Dec. 24, 1817, married Willis Vertz, in August, Jan. 9, 1857, and had three children.

1838, and had thirteen children : John H., born in December, 1818, was married in Angust, 1838, to Sarah Wortz, and had thirteen children, Margaret (born Sept. 1, 1839. died April 5. 1843). Ambrose (born June 30. 1841). Mary ( born Nov. 19, 1843, died June 30, 1844), Irconi (born Aug. 25, 1845,

March 4, 1879), Sara ( born in December, 1846, died March 28, 1865), Sabina (born Nov. 13, 1847, married Dan. B. Brown in 1869 and had four chil- dren ), David (born Feb. 9, 1849, died in infancy), Jane (born April 17, 1850, died in infancy), George W. (born April 23, 1851, married Caroline Gearhart), Wilson (born April 18, 1852, died in infaney), Elizabeth (born Nov. 4, 1853, died in infaney), Lydia C. (born July 18, 1855, married Jacob R. MIcGcily and had three children) and John H. (born Nov. 5, 1859, married Elizabeth Logan and had one child) ; Isaac S., born Oct. 4, 1819, married April 20, 1848, Jane A. DeHaas, and died Oct: 29, 1864, at Fortress Monroc, the fa- ther of six children. Wilson (born Dec. 5. 1848, died Dec. 1, 1850), William R. (born Dec. 5, 1851, died Sept. 3, 1852), Luella (born Dec. 25, 1852, married Charles Baum Nov. 14, 1872, and had one ehild), Sara J. (born Jan. 1, 1855, married Wil- liam E. Wise Jan. 1, 1872, and had three chil- dren ), Mary E. (born Jan. 15, 1857, married Wil- liam Cleinfelter Jan. 15, 1874, and had one child)

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Genealogical and biographical annals of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Vol. 2, Part 55

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