USA > Pennsylvania > Berks County > Historical and biographical annals of Berks County, Pennsylvania, embracing a concise history of the county and a genealogical and biographical record of representative families, Volume I > Part 170
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Mr. Addams married Rebecca Van Reed, who was born May 30, 1830, daughter of Charles and Margaret (Zacha- rias) Van Reed. She passed away May 2, 1900. Four children came to bless this union, namely: John V. R .; Annie V. R., who died in 1909, aged fifty-five years, seven months, twenty-three days (she was a member of the Reformed Church at Sinking Spring) ; Mary V. R., who died Jan. 13, 1873, aged twenty-one years; and Charles, born in 1860, who married Annie Gruber, and died aged thirty-one years, the father of two sons, Clinton G. and Charles D.
JOHN. V. R. ADDAMS and his sister, Annie V. R. Addams resided together on the old homestead farm, and there Miss Addams died. This place has been given the best of care, and kept with the same care which their parents before them exercised. Mr. Addams received his early education in the public schools, later attending Dickinson Seminary, at Williamsport, Lycoming Co., Pennsylvania.
MARTIN D. GRILL, a well known young business man of Berks county, Pa., who is engaged in the manu- facture of hosiery at Mohnton, was born Oct. 20, 1874, in Cumru township, son of Adam M. and Sarah (De- wees) Grill.
Adam Grill, the grandfather of Martin D., was a native of Spring township, Berks county, where he was born Aug. 22, 1793. He spent his life in agricultural pursuits in Cumru township, where he owned a tract of 155 acres of land, and here he died May 21, 1858. He married Catharine Mohn, born Jan. 11, 1800, who died March 31, 1888, daughter of Daniel and Barbara (Albright) Mohn, and there were ten children born to this union: Samuel, m. to Betsy von Neida; Eliza- beth, m. to Henry von Neida; Catharine, m. to Chris. Kress; Polly, m. to Richard Hornberger; Levi, m. to Polly Eshelman; Sally. m. to Nicholas Mosser; Adam M .; Lydia, m. to James Leininger; Daniel, m. to Mary Matz; and Henry, m. to Mary Hiester.
Adam M. Grill was born Oct. 17, 1835, and was reared on the homestead, where he lived until 1904, when he retired and removed to Church street, Mohn- ton. Since 1897 he has conducted a milk route into Mohnsville. He owns a twenty-six acre farm about two miles northwest of that village. In politics he is a Republican. He and his family attend Zion's Evangelical Church, of which he was a class leader, treasurer and trustee at Mohn's Hill.
Adam M. Grill was married Nov. 6, 1860. to Sarah Dewees, born Jan. 4, 1841, daughter of John M. and Leah G. (Matz) Dewees, and five children were born to this union: William D. m. Ida Miller, and has two children. Leo and Harry; Alice R. died unmarried at the age of twenty-eight years; F. Pierce D. m. Annie H. Fisher, and has three children, Stephen F., Leroy F. and Lillie F .; Martin D .; and Quinton D. is un- married.
Martin D. Grill received his education in the public schools of Cumru township, and the Keystone State Normal School at Kutztown, Pa. During the spring term's of 1894, 1895 and 1896, Mr. Grill was engaged in school teaching in Spring township, and from the latter year until 1907, followed that profession in Cumru township. At this time he engaged in his present busi- ness, the manufacture of men's seamless half hose, under
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HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
the firm name of the Electrical Hosiery Company. . supply. He built a log house with a cellar, particularly Thirty hands are now employed at his factory, and adapted for defense against the Indians, there being no these high grade goods find a ready sale throughout the State.
Mr. Grill was married to. Hannah R. Weidner, daugh- ter of John Y. and Catharine (Hornberger) Weidner, and three children were born to this union: John, Stanley and Forest. In politics Mr. Grill is a Republi- can, while in religious belief he and Mrs. Grill are connected with the United Evangelical Church. Fra- ternally he is identified with the Knights of Pythias of Mohnton, and the P. O. S. of A., No. 211. Mr. and Mrs. Grill reside in their own home in Mohnton, which Mr. Grill purchased in 1898.
JOHN M. DEWEES, grandfather of Martin D. Grill, was a son of William and Elizabeth Martin Dewees, and was born Feb. 26, 1807. His only brother, George M., went to Stark county, Ohio. John M. Dewees followed the same trade as his father, that of a shop- carpenter, making all kinds of household furni- ture. He was also an undertaker, making his own coffins. In 1835, he was commissioned Captain of the 12th Company, 55th Regiment, of the Mil- itia of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in the 2nd Brigade, of the 6th Division, composed of the counties of Dauphin, Lebanon, Berks and Schuylkill, his commission bearing date Aug. 3, 1835, and good until Aug. 3, 1842, given and signed by Gov. Joseph Ritner. He was also a surveyor and he served as jus- tice of the peace, his first commission bearing date of 1840. He was a justice from the aforesaid date until 1879, his last commission bearing date of April 13, 1874, good until 1879, having held the office for nearly forty years. Legal papers made and issued by him are noted for their neatness, accuracy and excellent penmanship. Lawyers and court officials often complimented him on his elegant penmanship which he did mostly with the quill. In 1834 he married Leah G. Matz (born Feb. 11, 1812) daughter of George Matz. They had three daughters and two sons, the sons dying in infancy. Of the daughters: Elizabeth M. m. Samuel P. Coldren; Sarah M. m. Adam M. Grill; and Rachel M. m. Jere H. Miller. John M. Dewees was a man of ordinary means, and proved himself to be of great usefulness in this section be- tween 1840 and 1875. He was intensely interested in the educational system provided by the Act of 1834, and in 1835, when an effort was made to repeal this act he labored hard to interest' the people and ex- plain to them the importance of educational advantages provided for by this act. He was a lover of music, especially of the fiddle, zither and accordeon. He was the owner of a small tract of land in Spring township. He died Dec. 14, 1881, and is buried at Mohns Hill burying ground.
JAMES G. KAUFFMAN, farmer and lifelong resi- dent of Centre township, Berks county, was born there Sept. 21, 1862, son of David and Elizabeth (Greim) Kauffman. He is of the fifth generation of his family in Berks county, where his great-great-grandfather settled about the middle of the eighteenth century.
Jacob Kauffman came to America on the ship "Phoenix," landing Sept. 15, 1749, with 550 other pas- sengers from Zweibrucken, Nassau, Wurtemberg and the Palatinate. He and two brothers located in Lan- caster county, Pa., but the land there was not what he wanted, so he did not remain long. He did not want to undertake the work of clearing away the for- ests which then covered that region, and land which could be converted into meadows, to raise hay to feed his stock, seemed to him more desirable, so with one brother he came to Berks county, settling in Bern (now Upper Bern) township. He took up a large tract of land in the fertile valley at the foot of the Blue Moun- tain, near the present site of St. Michael's Church, re- ceiving a patent for about seven hundred acres, part of which was meadow land, with an abundant water
opening which afforded an easy entrance, and an at- tack could be repelled by shooting from a window. The few settlers then in the vicinity suffered much from the treachery and depredations of the Indians, and they accordingly established a military post, the men carry- ing their guns when they went forth to their work in the morning and returning to the fort when their day's work was done. This state of affairs continued from 1754 to 1764, but with all their precautions about one hundred settlers were killed, a brother of Jacob Kauff- man being among the number. Jacob Kauffman, him- self had many thrilling adventures and some narrow escapes from death, but he continued to work and pros- per and in time became a well-to-do man. In later years he built a substantial stone mansion upon this farm, and this dwelling is still standing in a good state of preservation. He followed farming on his old home- stead until his death in 1804, and he left a tract of a little over one hundred acres (the old homestead) to his son Yost; this is now owned by the John Kauffman Estate, the sixth generation. Jacob Kauffman was buried at St. Michael's Church, of which he was one of the promoters and an active member. He reared a large family of children, and it is said that his sons became great hunters, deer at that time being very plentiful in that section. Tradition has it that a gun now owned by one of his descendants has killed as many as two hundred deer.
Philip Kauffman, son of Jacob, born Dec. 21, 1757, died Nov. 17, 1843. He was buried at St. Michael's Lutheran Church, of which he was a member. He served as a soldier in the Revolutionary war. For many years he carried on farming, living on a portion of the orig- inal tract taken up by his father, where he remained until his death. He married Magdalena Seaman, daugh- ter of Ludwig Seaman, and to them were born eleven children, seven sons and four daughters.
David Kauffman, son of Philip, was born Sept. 24, 1790, in Bern township, after his marriage locating in Centre township. He was reared to farming, and fol- lowed that vocation throughout his active years, buy- ing 190 acres in Centre township, now known as the Bushong farm, and also owning 120 acres adjoining this tract. He did not engage in active labors for fif- teen years prior to his death, but continued to live on his farm. He was a member of the Lutheran congrega- tion of Belleman's Church, and in politics was a stanch Democrat.
On Feb. 26, 1814, Mr. Kauffman married Magdalena Kline, born April 15, 1793, died June 14, 1846, and he survived her many years, dying March 6, 1868; he is buried at Belleman's Church. Twelve children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Kauffman, namely: Elizabeth, deceased, wife of Valentine Spatz; William, deceased, of Centre township; David, who is mentioned further on; Mary, deceased, wife of John Rothenberger; La- vina, wife of William Loose, of Centre township; Cath- arine, widow of Dr. John Spatz, of Centreport; Sallie, de- ceased, wife of John Kauffman; Matilda, deceased, widow of John Rothenberger, of Reading; Levi, de- ceased, who lived in Leesport; Lydia, deceased, wife of Leonard Schock, of Leesport; Deborah, deceas- ed; and George, deceased, whose family live at Potts- town.
David Kauffman, son of David, was born Nov. 1, 1820, in Bern township, where he was reared, attending the public schools and growing up into an intimate knowledge of farm work. He followed farming on his father's 190-acre farm for seven years before pur- chasing an adjoining tract, the farm of 161 acres which is now the property of his son James G. There he carried on general agriculture until eleven years before his death, when he retired, settling in Leesport, where he enjoyed a well-earned competency. Besides the home place he owned two farms in Bern township, one of 130 acres and another of 108 acres, as well as
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BIOGRAPHICAL
his fine home in Leesport. He was a stanch Democrat and took an active part in the public affairs of his community as well as in religious matters, being a prominent Lutheran member of Belleman's Church, which he served for a number of years as deacon and elder.
Mr. Kauffman married Nov. 24, 1849, Elizabeth Greim, born April 20, 1824, daughter of John and Sarah (Wertman) Greim, of Bern township. He died July 28, 1897, at the age of seventy-six years, and Mrs. Kauffman passed away Jan. 6, 1898, aged seventy-three years; they are buried side by side at Belleman's Church. They had children as follows: Sarah, de- ceased, m. Henry Phillips, a farmer of Centre township; Isabella, deceased, m. Isaac Bagenstose, who was a farmer of Bern township; John is deceased; Elizabeth is deceased; David is deceased; Catherine (deceased) m. Samuel Moser; James G. is mentioned below; Louisa G. m. John Winter, of Reading.
James G. Kauffman received his education in the public schools of Centre township, the Keystone State Normal School at Kutztown, and the Central State Normal School at Lock Haven, Pa. He was twenty when he left school, after which he engaged in farming with his father until 1886, when he took up farming on his own account. In 1893 he purchased the farm of 161 acres formerly owned by his father, a fertile tract supplied with very fine spring water. This farm was first purchased from the Pennsylvania proprietors in 1749 by Benjamin Lightfoot, a pioneer of Berks county, and was purchased by David Kauffman, father of the pres- ent owner, in 1856. Mr. Kauffman not only carries on farming, but also breeds stock, fattens cattle, and car- ries on a dairy business.
On Jan. 30, 1886, Mr. Kauffman married Mary L. Hartman, daughter of George C. and Rebecca J. (Lein- bach) Hartman, of Bern township, and nine children were born to this union, nantely: Winfield Hartman, who died Sept. 24, 1887; David Benjamin H., a graduate of the Perkiomen Seminary, 1908, and now a student at State College (he taught school three terms); Laura Rebecca H., who died Aug. 21, 1889; George Robert H., who is a teacher in Bern township at present; James Leinbach H., who is a student at the Keystone State Normal School; Mabel Elizabeth Hi .; John Greim H., deceased; Irvin Hartman; and Harry E. H. Mr. Kauff- man and members of his family belong to Belleman's Lutheran Church at Dauberville, in Centre township, and he has served several years as deacon of that con- gregation.
In politics Mr. Kauffman is a prominent member of the Democratic party in his locality, and he has acted upon several occasions as delegate to county and State conventions. He has been the choice of his party for a number of local offices, having been elected assessor of the township shortly after he reached his majority. served two terms as school director, and since 1901 has served as justice of the peace. He was appointed to the office in May of that year, and was elected in the fall of the same year. His services in every posi- tion have been highly acceptable.
Reformed Church, and is greatly interested in the cause of education, having done much to inspire in her children an ambition for learning. She has been a faithful wife and mother, and her home is most pleas- ant and hospitable ..
JOHN H. BOYER, a substantial farmer and highly esteemed citizen of Amity township, Berks county, and a veteran of the Civil war, was born Dec. 2, 1842, in Exeter township, Berks county, son of Abraham S. and Lucetta Holloway. Boyer, and a member of an old and representative family of the lower end of Berks county.
The emigrant ancestor of the Boyer family was John Philip Beyer, who came from the Palatinate to Philadelphia in 1731, with a number of children. He settled in Frederick township, Montgomery county, but later lived in Amity township, Berks county, where he died in the spring of 1753, at a ripe old age. He belonged to the Swamp Lutheran Church, and was buried by the pastor, Rev. Henry Melchior Muhlen- berg, who reports the matter fully in the "Halleschen Nachrichten." His will is on record at the Philadel- phia courthouse, and in it some of his children are named. Among his sons were: Jacob, the ancestor of the Boyertown branch of the family; and Johann Heinrich.
Johann Heinrich Boyer was born in 1714, in the Pfalz, Germany, and died May 2, 1814, in the one hundredth year of his age. In 1743 he was married to Magda- lena Kirchner, and among his children-six sons and one daughter-were Philip and Heinrich.
Philip Boyer, born Dec. 14, 1754, died July 31, 1832. His wife, Christiana, who was born in 1754, also died in 1832, and both were buried in the old graveyard at Amityville. Philip Boyer made a will the year be- fore his death, while a resident of Amity township, and in it he mentions the following children: Michael; Jacob, who had a son Philip; John; Peter; Mary, m. to George Koch; and Daniel, born in 1792, who died in 1825.
Heinrich Boyer was a son of Johann Heinrich. His wife's name was Hannah. They had children: Jere- miah, born April 26, 1810, died March 3, 1848, and his wife Nellie, born Dec. 30, 1807, died Dec. 12, 1883, aged seventy-five years, eleven months, thirteen days; Anna Maria, born 1812, died 1832; and Isaac, born 1817, died 1839. All of these Boyers are buried in the graveyard at Amityville.
Philip Boyer (also spelled Beyer), grandfather of John H. Boyer, was a grandson of the emigrant John Philip Beyer. He was a farmer in Exeter township. Many years ago he owned and conducted what is now the "Stonersville Hotel." He was born March 16, 1775, and died Aug. 21, 1836, aged sixty-one years, five months, five days, and was buried in the Amityville graveyard. He married Elizabeth Schrack, born Jan. 18, 1780, died June 3, 1833, aged fifty-three years, four months, fifteen days. They had ten children, as fol- lows: Mary, John, Samuel, Jacob, William, Hannah, Isaac, Abraham S., and two died in infancy unnamed.
Mrs. Mary L. (Hartman) Kauffman comes of a fam- Abraham S. Boyer, father of John H., was born in Exeter township, June 19, 1821, and died May 2, 1905, in Amity township, aged eighty-three years, ten months, thirteen days. In his early years he worked as a farm laborer, but later was engaged in farming in Oley, Lower Heidelberg. Colebrookdale and then Amity townships, dying in Amity. as stated above. His remains rest in the Amityville cemetery. In religious faith he was a Lutheran and he served in the offices of deacon and elder in the Amityville Church. In his political views he was a Democrat, and he served both as school director and as township supervisor. He married (first) Lucetta Holloway, born Dec. 17, 1820, died May 13, 1857, aged thirty-six years, four months, twenty-six days. They had seven children, namely: John H .; Charles F., deceased in infancy; Sarah E .; Morris L. ily that has been well represented in the educational world. She was born in Bern township March 25, 1863, daughter of George C. and Rebecca Jane (Leinbach) Hartman, of the borough of West Leesport. She was the eldest of eight children-six sons and two daugh- ters-the others being: Carrie Jane, m. to M. S. Par- vin. of East Berkley; Capt. J. D. L .; a graduate of West Point Military Academy, now a captain in the First U. S. Cavalry, and stationed in the Philippines; Rev. George W., pastor of St. John's Reformed Church at Orwigsburg; Dr. Irvin H .. of Reading; Prof. F. O., supervising principal of the Woodbine Schools, New Jersey; Harry E., a member of the real estate firm of Barber, Hartman & Co., Philadelphia; and Prof. Winfield L .. instructor in Latin and Greek in Perkio- men Seminary. Mrs. Kauffman is a member of the H., residing at Reading; George M. deceased in in-
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HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
fancy; Emma E. and Mary C. He m. (second) Har- E .; John Ellsworth m. Matilda Reinhart, and is a riet Harbold, daughter of Jacob Harbold. She was born in 1819, and died in 1886. They had two children: William, born in 1867, died in 1868; and Ann Laura, wife of Thomas C. Darrah, a prominent man of Berks county.
John H. Boyer was reared on his father's farm which he left for the first time when he enlisted in September, 1862, for service in the Civil War, entering Company I, 20th Regiment, Vol. Militia, for State de- fense, Capt. Frederick S. Boas, commanding. Subse- quently Oct. 23, 1862, he re-enlisted in Company K, 179th Pa. V. I., and served nine months, and was mus- tered out with the regiment at Harrisburg, July 27, 1863.
After the war, Mr. Boyer became a hired man on the William Yocum farm in Amity township, where he remained for three years and was then in his father's employ, on the same farm for three more years. In the spring of 1870 he began farming on his father-in- law's farm in Colebrookdale township, where he was engaged for three years, after which he returned to the William Yocum's farm on which he has resided for the past thirty-five years. He lays special stress on dairying, operating this industry with thirty head of fine cows. Since 1875 he has shipped his milk to Philadelphia.
On Nov. 3, 1866. Mr. Boyer was married to Eliza- beth G. Gabel, daughter of David and Mary (Gabel) Gabel, of Colebrookdale township, and they had three children: Catherine, Sarah Ellen and Charles G. Cath- erine is the widow of Webster Marquett, born in 1862, died in 1898. They had the following children: Edna M., Mayme R., Jennie E., John J., C. Earl and Mary M., the latter of whom died Jan. 31, 1908, aged eleven years, eight months, nine days. Sarah Ellen married William E. Romig and they reside at Reading and have one daughter, Lena B. Charles G., ticket agent at the South Street Ferry, Philadelphia, resides at Camden, N. J., and has had two children, John (deceased) and Anna E.
In politics, Mr. John H. Boyer is identified with the Republican party. He and family are members of the Lutheran Church, at Amityville. Mr. Boyer is a mem- ber of McLean Post No. 16. G. A. R .. Reading. Pa .. and Washington Camp No. 213, P. O. S. of A., of Amityville.
MORRIS L. H. BOYER, son of 'Abraham S., was born in Oley township, July 27, 1848, and was reared upon the farm. He taught school from 1868 to 1880 in Earl and Amity townships. He came to Reading in 1896 where he has since lived. He is an active Democrat, and was county auditor from 1885 to 1888; a clerk in the county commissioners' office from 1888 to 1891; a clerk in the Register's office from 1891 to 1894; and during 1894 was in the Recorder's office. He was tax collector in Reading from 1901 to 1907. During the Civil War he enlisted at Reading, March 10. 1865, in Company H. 50th Pa. V. V. I .. when only sixteen years old, and was mustered out with the regiment July 30, 1865. at the end of the war. He m., Sept. 2, 1869. Re- becca Kohler, of Greenwich township. and they have one daughter, Cora, m. to William H. Luppold, city assessor of Reading.
WILLIAM M. KEIM (deceased), who was for many years a popular hotel man of Kutztown, Pa., was born in Pike township. Berks county, in July, 1827, son of George M. and Susan (Mensh) Keim.
George M. Keim was an extensive farmer in Pike township, and he followed that occupation until his death, when his property was purchased by his son, William M., who operated it in connection with hotel keeping. At the time of his death, in 1880, William M. Keim was proprietor of the "Keystone Hotel" at Kutz- town. In 1860 Mr. Keim married Mary Ann R. Gonser. daughter of William and Mary (Reager) Gonser, and four children were born to this union: Ida Nora m. George Marx, of Kutztown, and had one child, Warren
broker in cotton yarns in Reading; William Oscar died at the age of three years, four months; and Cora Ella died when seven years, nine months, three days old. Mr. Keim was a Lutheran in religious belief, and to that church his widow also adhered. Politically he was a Democrat.
Mrs. Keim came to Reading in 1885, and after living for four years on Fifth street, she purchased two houses on Pearl street, which she rebuilt in 1901. Mrs. Keim was a woman of many admirable traits of char- acter, and had hosts of friends in the community who mourned her decease.
DR. PETER S. MOGEL, a well-known dentist lo- cated at No. 814 Penn street, Reading, was born in Tulpehocken township, Berks county, Nov. 18, 1862, son of Emendon B. and Louise (Schade) Mogel.
The name of Mogel has been spelled in nine different ways by the members of the same family-Mochel, Mockel, M'ockle, Mogel, Mogle, Mocel, Mokel, Mokle and Mogul. The family was planted in this country by Valentine Mochel, who arrived at Philadelphia Aug. 28, 1750, on the "Phoenix," John Mason, master. The vessel had sailed from Rotterdam, last from Cowes, and carried 339 passengers. When he arrived Valen- tine Mochel registered his name, spelling it "Mochel," and he first drifted to what is known as Penns Valley in Perry county, above Harrisburg, at a place called Millheim. He took up land, but after being there for some time found the Indians becoming troublesome, so fearing for his family's safety, he migrated to near Centreport, in the vicinity of Belleman's Church, where he took up a tract of land in 1752, and this land has remained in the family name to the present time, the owner now (1909) being ex-county treasurer David W. Mogel, whose son John operates it. The house as originally built by Valentine Mogel (or Mochel) is still standing, altered only by additions made by the present owner. Valentine Mochel had three children, among them Valentine (2).
Valentine M'ochel (2), son of the emigrant, was born in Centre township. June 22, 1758, and died April 25, 1830. He married Catharine Meyer, and they had nine children, among whom were: Valentine (3), born Aug. 12, 1788, died unmarried Feb. 21, 1848; Henry W., horn Jan. 30, 1792, died Nov. 14, 1867; and Samuel. With the children of this generation came the change in the spelling of the name, doubtless due to the Eng- lish school teachers, who often tried to Anglicize the German names, and were consequently responsible for many of the changes in name so common throughout Pennsylvania.
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