Genealogical and biographical annals of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Vol. 2, Part 83

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 83

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been twice inarried. His first marriage, which took place during the Civil war, was to Kate Bush. daughter of Samuel and Mary ( Hollenbach ) Bush, and she died Ang. 19, 1893, aged fifty-tour years, nine days. She is buried at St. Paul's Chureh .. Ten children were born to this union :

On March .23, 1897, Mr. Broscious married Aliee Zimmerman, daughter of Scbastian Zimmer- Frank. Henry. William, Maurice E., Gordon, man, of Sunbury, and six children have been born Orlando, Annie, Francis, and two that died young. There are no children by the second marriage, to Barbara Bohner. daughter of Nicholas and Lydia (Spotts) Bohner. to them: Marion (who died aged four years). David Sebastian, Harriet Louisa, Henry H., Rus- sell Carl and Raymond Clarenee. Mr. Broscious and his family are members of the Intheran Church.

MAURICE E. BROSIUS, a farmer of Jordan township, was born Aug. 26, 1874. and has passed practically all his life in that township. He was reared to farm work, and assisted his parents exeept during the time he was attending school.

Jacob Brosius, great-grandfather of Maurice E. Brosius, lived in Jordan township, Northumber- land county, on the farm which later belonged to In addition to the privileges of the public schools

Pennsylvania Railroad Company, and in 1904 he embarked in the contracting and building busi- ness there on his own aeeount. He is now asso- eiated with Mr. C. H. Wiest. In addition to their eontracting and building business they deal in and manufacture all kinds of lumber and builders' supplies, handling lime, eement, builders' hard- ware, slate, roofing, etc., and they have a modern mill, where all kinds of planing mill work can be turned out. The firm employs as many as forty- five men, and among other structures of their construction may be mentioned the B. F. Brown three-story storehouse; the W. A. Shipman resi- dence on Market street; the Daily printing office at Sunbury ; the Charles L. Silvious residence : the Elwood Fasold residence : the David Slear resi- dence on Susquehanna avenue; the Keystone ma- ehine works; the Catawissa Avenue M. E. Church, 1910; the Jere Lower residence, and many more of the leading business and residence structures in the borough. Mr. Broscious has applied himself assiduously to his work, and the progress he has made is due entirely to his own efforts. He has established himself in a substantial business, and has built up an extensive trade, the seope of which is widening continually under his energetie and well-direeted endeavors. He is well known in fraternal circles, being a member of Maelay lodge, which he served as deacon and elder.

No. 632. F. & A. M., Northumberland Chapter, No. 174, R. A. M., and Mount Hermon Com- mandery, No. 85. K. T., as well as of Washington Camp, No. 189, P. O. S. of A., to which he has be- longed since 1893. For eight years he held men- bership in the I. O. O. F.

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he had the advantages of Uniontown Seminary part of his residence in that state he was located for several terms. At the youthful age of seven- at Akron, where he learned the carpenter's trade, teen he began teaching, receiving his license from working for Henry Howe, brother of Captain Prof. William E. Bloom, and for eight successive Howe. He followed that trade for a number of terms he followed that profession in Jordan town- years. He was married at Greensburg, near ship. Meantime, in the spring of 1900, he bought Akrou, and there lived until after the birth his present farm, a traet of sixty-seven aeres in Jordan township formerly belonging to John T. Wiest, who purchased it from Simon Bohner, whose predecessor was Samuel Bush. Mr. Brosius de- votes the principal part of his time to farming, and he has also had considerable sueeess as an insurance agent, being one of the three agents of the Stone Valley Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Mahanoy. He has also been a faithful public servant, having held the office of auditor of his township for seven years in suecession. He is a Democrat in politics. Mr. Brosius is well and favorably known in his locality, where his suc- cessful business life and excellent public service have gained him high standing among his fellow citizens.

of his oldest ehild, Raymond, soon after which he moved to Berrien connty, Mich., settling in Buchanan township. Mr. Brocens took up land, and continued . to follow his trade besides clearing and cultivating his land until he had his property paid for. Selling that property he bought a 200-acre farm within one mile of the village of Buchanan and there spent the last thirty years of his life. The success he met with was due entirely to his own industry and good management, for he was a self-made man in the best sense of the term. He was the pioneer of his family in Michigan, and in 1909 his deseend- ants organized a family association, holding their first reunion at his old homestead : the second was held in August, 1910. A man of unassuming life and retiring disposition, he was a useful, respected member of society, and his death, which oceurred

On Feb. 3, 1894, Mr. Brosius married Kate E. Wiest, daughter of John T. Wiest, and they have a family of five children: Mabel, Carlos, Fred, June ?, 1894, was widely mourned. He is buried Harold and John. Mr. Brosius and his family in the Broceus family plot in Oakridge cemetery. are members of the Hebe Church, of which he has at Buchanan, Mich. Mr. Broeeus was a member been a deaeon since 1905. Socially he belongs to of the Evangelical Association, and active in Washington Camp, No. 232, P. O. S. of A., at church life. In politics he was a Republican.

Hebe. .

Mr. Broceus married Abigail Smith, who died July 24, 1880, aged fifty-six years. Ten children were born to this union: Raymond, who lives at

Abraham Broseus (Brosius), Sr., yeoman, of Upper Mahanoy township, died there, near the Buchanan, Mich. : Eliza, wife of Justice H. Stein- Schuylkill county line, in 1844. He made his last er : Mary Ann. wife of Solomon Quiut, of Carroll, Iowa: William, who died at Buchanan. Mieh. ; Henry, of Buchanan, Mich. : Malinda, deceased, who was the wife of George W. Rough; Matilda. wife of George Hanley : John W., of Buchanan. Mich. : Emma, wife of Ansalom Wray; and H. Francelia. widow of Jefferson Fowler, of Buchan- an, Mieh. There were forty-four grandchildren, and twenty-nine great-grandchildren. will and testament Jan. 22, 1839, and it was pro- bated Jan. 11, 1844, soon after his death, which likely oceurred early that month. He signed this document Abraham "Broseus," and his descendants generally have adhered to that spelling of the name. He provided liberally for his wife Catharine, who was to have all movable property, and after her death her elothes were to be divided between her daughters Enline and Anna Mary. Mr. Bro- On Oct. 9, 1883. Mr. Broceus married (second) Lucy A. Kauffman, daughter of Daniel and Mary ( Ressler) Kauffinan, of Lower Augusta township. Northumberland Co., Pa., where Mrs. Broceus was seus left a large estate. being considered a wealthy man in his day. The following children were mentioned in the will: Peter, three hundred pounds ; Abraham ( Abram), three hundred born. No children were born to this union. Mrs. . pounds; Euline, who married John Beachtel : Broceus continues to make her home in Buchanan. Berrien Co., Mich., visiting her kindred in North-

George, deeeased, whose heirs were to have $169.49 each : Elizabeth, who married Peter Zegenfus (they umberland eonnty, Pa., every two or three years. were to have sixty dollars more) : Nicholas. "vet 100 pounds" : John, "yet 100 pounds" : Anna Mary, According to the records at the Northumberland who married John Delb. and they obtained the county courthouse one Abraham Brosins must have homestead (containing 160 aeres) on which they died shortly before Nov. 21, 1852, in Lower An- lived in 1839 (they were to pay out 1.100 pounds).

gusta township. After the widow had renonnced the privilege of administration, papers were given to Elias Brosius, probably a son.

ABRAM BROCEUS (as he wrote the name), son of Abraham, Sr .. was born in Washington town- ship April 24, 1817, and lived there until he was seventeen years old. Ho then went out to Ohio, THOMAS J. LUCKENBILL, who has a large stopping first at Massillon, but during the great farm in the Tuckahoe Valley, in Point township,

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Northumberland county, one of the finest farms in 200-acre tract later the property of his son Thou- that section, was born Sept. 12, 1861, in Windsor as, and was a school director and useful citizen. township, Berks Co., Pa., and belongs to one of He married Annie Wink, daughter of John Wink, the early settled fainilies of that county.

Mr. Luckenbill's first ancestor in this country was Johan Tost ( Ekel ?) Luckenbill, who came from Germany on the ship "Thistle," landing at Philadelphia Sept. 20, 1730. ( Another account says Johan Ekel and his brother Hendriek landed from the "Thistle" Aug. 29, 1730.) He and his brother Hendrick, who emigrated with him, are the pro- genitors of the family in this country. It is be- lieved that Johan and his wife are buried at Bow- ers Church, in Perry township, Berks county, and

of Maxatawny township, and ten children were born to this union: Augustus ; Edwin : Lucy, who died in infancy; James: Thomas; Sarah Ann, wife of Simon Adam, deceased; Jacob, who died aged forty-five ; Simon : Alfred, and Cyrus.

James Luckenbill, son of Thomas, was born in 1831 in Perry township, Berks county, and died in 1903 near Virginville, that county; he is bur- ied at Dunkel's Church. By occupation a farmer. he had a farm of 157 aeres above Virginville, and he was active in the life of his locality, serving as it is traditional that he was married when he came school director and supervisor of his township. to America, that his wife was a Swiss, and that he eame from that part of Germany that bounds Switzerland. He had eight children: (1) Maria married Michael Deibert (or Divert) and settled in Sehuylkill county. (?) Heinrich married Cath- arine Weber, who, tradition says, was of Swiss ex- traction. In 1759 he was a taxable resident of Politically he was a Democrat. His widow, Eliza- beth, daughter of Jaeob and Polly ( Folk) Heinly, lives at Kutztown, Pa., making her home with her daughter, Mrs. George Ramer. She is now (1910) over seventy-five years old. Eight children were born to Mr. and Mrs. James Luckenbill : Elenora, Mrs. Rolandus Dreibelbies, of Virginville, Pa. : Maxatawny township, Berks county, owning land James W., who died in 1907: Thomas J. ; Joriah. who married William Sunday : Aliee, wife of James Yeager : Oscar, of Maxatawny township; Angelina.

in the vicinity of Bowers. He later removed to ' Wayne township. Schuylkill county, and shortly.

before his death became totally blind. His chil- Mrs. George Seidel; and Laura, Mrs. George

dren were: Adam, Henry, Solomon, George, Sus- anna, Sophia. Rebecca and Beckie. (3) Abraham married Eva Lengel, and had these children : John, Abraham, Jonas, Emanuel, Kate, Rebecea, Sallie and Eva. Abraham Luckenbill is said to have settled in Schuylkill county. In 1759 he was a taxpayer in Rockland township, and he later moved across the line into Maxatawny township. (4) John married Polly West and had two children, Isaac and Mary. (5) Andraes married Miss Len- gel and their children were George, Joel, Sallie. Judith, Diana and Maria. (6) Christian is men- tioned below. (7) George, of whose history no records are in evidence. (8) Another son whose name is unknown.

Christian Luckenbill, son of the emigrant Johan. was born in 1267 and died about 1852. He was early a settler in Perry township, Berks county, where he was a farmer and owned land. and it is known that he lived in that county for some years, but in 1790 he and his brother George were taxable residents of Manheim township, Schuyl-

kill county. It is traditional that after 1800 he returned to Berks county, and was buried at Bow- ers Church in Maxatawny township, where he had a farm. He married Catharine Kline. of Maxa- tawny township, and they had children : Thomas ; David, who settled in Jefferson county. Pa .: Ben- jamin, who settled in Iowa: Elizabeth, who mar- ried Jacob Rothermel : and another daughter, Mrs. Heeknan.

Thomas Luckenbill, born in Perry township in 1800, died there in 1863. He was a farmer and owner of the Lockenbill homestead, owning the wood. (?) Mary married George Wallice but has

Ramer.

Thomas J. Luekenbill attended the schools in his home district and from his youth was familiar with farm work. After working on the railroad for five years he eommeneed farming in Tilden township, Berks eounty, farming there for seven years, on a place along the Schuylkill river, south of Hamburg. Selling out, he moved to Montour county, where he conducted a creamery at Wash- ingtonville for one year, after which he farmed in that region for eleven years. For another year he was employed in the staple works at Williams- port, Pa., during which time he met with an acci- dent which caused the loss of two of his fingers. In 1907 he settled at his present home in Point township. Northumberland county, where he owns an extensive tract of 339 acres, limestone soil, re- garded as one of the most valuable properties in that section. Mr. Luckenbill rents his land, but he gives his personal attention to the improve- ment of the place, and in 1909 he built a fine resi- denee there which adds materially to the value of the farm. By good management he has beeome successful and his prosperity is well deserved.

In 1880 Mr. Luckenbill married Ida Mengel, daughter of Samuel and Mary (Zettlemoyer) Men- gel, of Windsor township, Berks county, and grand- daughter of Jacob Mengel. Two children have been born to this union: (1) Elwood, born in Windsor township. Berks county, married Eva Gresh, daughter of George Gresh, of Washington- ville, Pa., but of a family forinerly from Berks county. They have two children, Lesley and El-

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no children. They live. in Montour county. Mr. his sons he began to clear and till the land, and Luckenbill and his family are members of the Re- after elearing a portion on a small bluff overlook- formed Church.

ing the beautiful Susquehanna he erected a small GEARHART. The Gearharts have been num- frame house which is still standing, though more than a hundred years old. It is still owned by erous and prominent in Northumberland county his descendants. He set out an orchard which was sinee shortly after the close of the Revolutionary completely destroyed by a hailstorm in 1846. In war, and one township of the county has been named in their honor. Two brothers, Jacob and William Gearhart, came to Northumberland eoun- ty about 1790, the former settling in what is now Gearhart township, the latter in Rush township. As we are principally concerned with the posterity of Jacob Gearhart in this article, we give his rec- ord first.

1813, after an active life of seventy-eight years, Captain Gearhart' died, and his wife, Catharine Kline, survived him a few years. They had a fam- ily of eleven children, namely: Jacob, born in 1763, died in 1841 ; IFermon, born in 1765, died in 1835 : George is mentioned below : William, born in 1276, died in 1854: Charles, born in 1783, died in 1863: John, born in 1788, died in 1858; Isaac; Benjamin : Elizabeth ; Mary : and Catharine.

Jacob Gearhart was born in 1435 in Strasburg, then a city of France, now belonging to Germany, Jacob Gearhart, son of Capt. Jacob and Cath- arine (Kline) Gearhart, was a farmer by ocenpa- tion. He possessed intelligence and ability beyond the ordinary and had more than an average educa- tion for his day. On Jan. 10, 1814, he was ap- pointed associate judge of Northumberland county. which position he held until his resignation in 1839, after an incumbency longer than that of any other judge in the county. In politics he was an influential Democrat, and a meeting was once held at his house by Simon Cameron, whom Andrew Jackson (then President) had requested to secure the influence of Pennsylvania in favor of the nom- ination of Martin Van Buren. Judge Gearhart was a pioneer Methodist, and frequently entertained Rev. Francis Asbury, the first bishop of the Meth- odist Church in the United States. He died Aug. 2. 1841, and is buried in Mount Vernon cemetery. at Riverside, Pa. Judge Gearhart married Mar- garet Runkell. of New Jersey, and they were the parents of one son. John, born in September, 1789, who married Sophia Brown, born June 4, 1292. They had a family of six children, born as follows : Jacob, 1818: Sarah, Jan. 12. 18?1: Margaret, April 22, 1823: Mary B., Sept. 15. 1825: Henry, Aug. 7, 1829; Jesse B., May 17, 1833. Of these, Margaret married Rev. I. H. Torrenee, a promi- nent Methodist elergyman, now deceased. Mrs. Torrence, who still resides on the homestead, is and came to the New World when a young man, landing at New York in 1754. He soon crossed over into Hunterdon county, N. J., where he made his home for many years. When the Revolution broke out he was among the first to offer his serv- ices to his adopted country, enlisting in 1:15, in the Hunterdon county volunteers, with which he served as a private. A mau of brave and fearless spirit, he was soon promoted to ensign and later to captain, and stood so high in the confidence of his superior officers that he was one of the two New Jersey men chosen by Washington to take charge of the crossing of the Delaware on the eventful night of Dec. 25, 1776, when the Hessian camp at Trenton was attacked. The other was Captain Van Tenyck. After the crossing had been effected the boats were placed in their charge, with orders to destroy them should the expedition prove a failure. Captain Gearhart also took part in the battle of the Brandywine and spent the hard winter of 1277-78 with Washington at Valley Forge. At the close of the war he returned to his old home in Hunterdon connty, N. J., but a few years later he joined the tide of emigration which took many westward from New Jersey into Pennsylvania and from the eastern counties of Pennsylvania farther out. Between 1785 and 1795 many families from that region settled in what are now Rush and Gearhart townships,' Northumberland county, now past cighty-seven years old. She is the mother among them those of Capt. Jacob Gearhart and his of three children: Mary Virginia married George brother William. In 1790 the Captain and his B. O'Connor and had a daughter Mary F .. wife of family left . Hunterdon county by wagon train. J. Calvin Peifer (they have a son, George Tor- Late one afternoon they came to a deserted Indian rence ) : Saralı Ellen married C. M. Kyght, and has a son, Torrenee; William is deceased. hut close by a fine spring. on the farm now owned by Mrs. I. H. Torrence, a great-granddaughter of the Captain, and decided to camp for the night. Harmon Gearhart, son of Capt. Jacob and Catlı- arine ( Kline) Gearhart, married Abigail Bayler. and they resided in the frame house built by his fa- ther. Much of his land is now included in the bor- ough of Riverside and in South Danville. Mr. and Mrs. Gearhart had a family of twelve children. as follows : Mary married Henry Yorks and had children. Clinton, Amanda and Ellen ( married When the land was examined in the morning it was found to be fertile, and the water was so abund- ant and of such good quality that the old warrior determined to found his home at that site. He pur- chased land along the Susquehanna from Kipp's run to Boyd's run, one mile back from the river, all of it at that time a dense forest. With the aid of

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David Unger) ; George, who removed to Ohio, had roads for some twelve years. In political connec- two sons and two daughters; Margaret married tion he is a Democrat. Jonas Wolfe and had children, Donald, Gearhart, While in New York State Mr. Gearhart married Martha Doman. They have no children. Mr. Gearhart is a member of the Methodist Church, while Mrs. Gearhart is a member of the Episcopal Church. Fraternally he is a member of Talla- dega Lodge, F. & A. M. Wellington and three daughters; Jacob died un- married; Daniel is mentioned more fully below ; William died unmarried: Hannah was born in 1821 ; Elizabeth, Ellen, Snsan and Kate died un- married ; Peter married Celestia Coup and had children, George, Gertrude (married Charles Chalfant) and Lillian (married Dr. N. M. Smith).

Daniel Gearhart, son of Harmon Gearhart, mar- ried Sarah Koons, daughter of Philip and Han- nah (Haas) Koons, both of whom were members of old families of Northumberland county. Mr. and Mrs. Gearhart became the parents of four children, viz. : Daniel M .. who lives in Alabama, married and has had children, Joseph, Rush, Sar- ah and Maggie ; Margaret married J. W. Philips, of Danville, Pa., and has one daughter, Caddie; Sar- alı married William Sanders; Cadwallader W. is mentioned presently.

George Gearhart, son of Capt. Jacob and Cath- arine (Kline) Gearhart, was born in what is now Hunterdon county, N. J., and he became a pros- perous farmer and landowner. He had a beautiful farmi one mile from Riverside, along the bank of the Susquehanna river one mile sonth of the . bridge, now forming part of South Danville. It was a present to him from his father at his ma- jority and there he lived all his life. He erected many buildings there, and as he prospered pin- chased more land, at his death owning between three hundred and four hundred acres along the Susquehanna. He was twice married, his first wife being Achie Runyan, who died when a young woman, the mother of four children : Bonham R.,

CADWALLADER W. GEARHART, who is engaged in agricultural pursnits in Gearhart township, North- umberland county, was born Sept. 30, 1852, in Rush township, this county, on the farm adjoining. Benjamin (who moved out West), Eliza and Re- becca (married Wilson Mettler). His second wife was Phoebe Lott, by whom he had three children : Achie, George and Harmon.

his present home, both farms being part of the old Gearhart tract taken up by Capt. Jacob Gearhart and his brother William in 1290. He obtained his early education in the public schools of his native Bonham R. Gearhart, M. D .. son of George Gear- hart, was born March 18, 1811, on his father's homestead in Rush township, and there received his early education. later attending academy at Danville. He read medicine with Dr. Harmon Gearhart, of Bloomsburg, and took a course at Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia. from which he was gradnated. For two years Dr. Gear- hart practiced in Sunbury, and he was subse- quently in Washingtonville and Turbutville (1839- 1844) before settling at Danville, where he was in successful practice to the close of his life. He was one of the most popular physicians of his day, and his death, which occurred May 9, 1855. when he was in his carly forties, was widely mourned. He died of pneumonia. Dr. Gearhart married Eliz- abeth Boyd, daughter of William Boyd, of Dan- ville, and granddaughter of William Boyd, the founder of the family in America. Mrs. Gearhart survived the Doctor many years, living to advanced age. They were the parents of a large family, viz. : William Boyd married Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Buttler. and they have had children, Eliz- abeth Boyd and Mary Alta, the former the wife of R. Seott Ammerman and the mother of four children, Robert Boyd, William Edgar, Elizabethi Catharine and Dorothy Ada: Achie is deceased : George M., who was for many years cashier of the Danville National Bank, was born March 18, 1841. township, and remained at home on the farm until he reached the age of twenty-five years. Going to New York State, he became a fireman on the Del- aware, Lackawanna & Western railroad, being thus employed two years. after which he was promoted to engineer, in which position he continued for three years. From New York State he went down to Cedartown, Ga .: where he again found work as a railroad engineer. being engaged as such for some years. In 1886 he moved from Cedartown to Talladega, Ala., where he was occupied in the same. capacity until 1892. completing a record of twenty-two years in all at railroad work, dur- ing all of which time he never received an injury nor caused injury to any other person. In 1892 Mr. Gearhart moved his family back to his old home, returning alone to Alabama, where he stayed until May, 1899. Having purchased the Philip Koons property in Gearhart township, the old home of his grandfather, he then began the raising of truck and small fruits. He has improved the farm in many ways since taking possession of the prop- erty, and in 1898 built the house thereon which he and his wife now occupy, a structure of conerete blocks, which he made himself. He is an intelli- gent and enterprising man in the conduct of his business affairs, which have prospered continuously, and his ability has been recognized by his fellow citizens, who have chosen him to serve in local po-, on his father's birthday, in the same room where sitions of public trust. He has been a school di- his father was born, and married Cordelia Clark. rector for over fifteen years and a supervisor of daughter of David and Eleanor (Gearhart) Clark.

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Genealogical and biographical annals of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Vol. 2, Part 83

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