USA > Pennsylvania > Bedford County > History of Bedford and Somerset Counties, Pennsylvania, with genealogical and personal history > Part 13
USA > Pennsylvania > Somerset County > History of Bedford and Somerset Counties, Pennsylvania, with genealogical and personal history > Part 13
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67
MILLER FAMILY.
The founder of the numerous family of which Irvin E. Miller and Edward HI. Miller, both of Berlin, are representa- tives, was Christian Miller, who was born in Germany, whence he emigrated to the United States, settling in Somerset county
Vol. 111 8
114
BEDFORD AND SOMERSET COUNTIES
on a farm which has never since been out of the Miller family. He was a Whig and a member of the Mennonite church. Chris- tian Miller married Susan Musser, and after her death, at the early age of twenty-eight, took for his second wife Elizabeth Ross. By these marriages he became the father of the follow- ing children: Tobias, of whom later; Peter, and five daugh- ters, who married, respectively, Christian Baer, Henry Stutz- man, William Levitt, Samuel Rhoads, and George Geisel, who was killed at the battle of Fredericksburg. Christian Miller, the father, died in 1865, at the age of eighty-four.
Tobias Miller, son of Christian and Susan (Musser) Miller, was born in 1813, and was a farmer of Stony Creek township. He adhered to the Republican party, and served as deacon and elder in the Reformed church. Mr. Miller married Margaret, daughter of Benjamin Kimmel, and their children were: Ben- jamin, who lives with his widowed sister, Mrs. Stutzman; Mary, widow of Jacob Stutzman, has twelve children; Peter T., of whom later; Sarah, wife of John Stutzman, has five children; Jeremiah, deceased; William, deceased; John, farmer at Liste, married Margaret Sorber, has four children; Charles, farmer of Stony Creek township, married Lucy Schrock, has two chil- dren; Susan, married Joseph Glessner and after his death Mahlon Forney; Harriet, wife of John M. Topper, merchant of New Baltimore, has six children. The death of Mr. Miller oc- curred July 30, 1885.
Peter T. Miller, son of Tobias and Margaret (Kimmel) Miller, was born July 30, 1842, and on August 5, 1862, enlisted in Company B, One Hundred and Thirty-third Regiment, Penn- sylvania Volunteers. He was present at the battle of Antietam and also at that of Fredericksburg, where he received a wound in the left breast which kept him a month in the hospital. After his recovery he rejoined his regiment and fought at Chancel- lorsville, being honorably discharged May, 1863. After his re- turn home he settled on the Miller homestead, near the Glade church, in Stony Creek township, and there led the life of a farmer until recently, when he sold the property to his son, Ed- ward H. Miller, and retired to Berlin. He has held the offices of assessor and tax collector, is past commander of Mark Col- lins Post No. 3440, G. A. R., of Berlin, and is a Republican in politics. He is a member of the Reformed church, in which he has served as deacon and elder.
Peter T. Miller married, April 25, 1865, Sarah Landis, born June 2, 1845, and they were the parents of the following chil- dren: Irvin E., of whom later. Mary J., born March 10, 1869, wife of Joseph Walker, farmer of Stony Creek township, has two children, Robert and Darl. Edward H., of whom later. Abraham L., born January 20, 1872, farming with his brother,
115
BEDFORD AND SOMERSET COUNTIES
Edward H. Emma B., born December 8, 1873, wife of William Stull, farmer of Stony Creek township. Maggie C., born Sep- tember 11, 1875, died July 9, 1896. Henry T., born February 11, 1878, died January 3, 1879. Oscar, born March 13, 1879, died July 10, 1886. Roscoe C., born April 24, 1884, married Ada Carver, has two children, Grace and Amanda. Mrs. Miller, the mother of the family, died September 13, 1893. She was a member of the Reformed church. Mr. Miller married, Sep- tember 5, 1895, Elmira (Bittner), widow of William H. Shockey, the issue of this marriage being one child, Zeta E., born Sep- tember. 16, 1899.
Irvin E. Miller, son of Peter T. and Sarah (Landis) Miller, was born February 21, 1866, on the Samuel Kuhns farm in Stony Creek township, and received his education in the Glade public school. He worked for his father on the farm until the age of twenty-one, when he married and settled on a farm which he rented of his father. After cultivating this land for three years he purchased of his father-in-law a farm in Stony Creek township, near Roxbury, consisting of one hundred and forty- six acres. On this farm, which he still owns, he resided thirteen years. It is a fine property, all but two acres being under cul- tivation. The house is a solid brick two-story structure, erected in 1835, the barn having been built in 1838. Both are in good condition. Mr. Miller works this farm, but rents the house to one of his employes. After living thirteen years on this estate, Mr. Miller purchased a second farm of one hundred and forty- five acres, on which he now makes his home. The patented name of this property is "Sugar Bottom Farm." It is well im- proved and kept in splendid condition. The grain raised is all used on the farm, but much of the hay crop goes to market. There is a sugar camp of seven hundred vessels, producing an- nually about twenty-five hundred pounds of maple sugar and syrup. Both this farm and the other have valuable orchards. Mr. Miller is an extensive stock raiser, buyer and feeder. His horses, which number ten, are good, two being full-blooded Per- cheron, and his cattle, of which he has forty, are of a good breed and quality. His dwelling is of a very handsome modern type, with appropriate grounds and surroundings. Mr. Miller belongs to the Sons of Veterans, of Berlin, and advocates the principles of the Republicans. He and his wife are members of the Reformed church, which he has served as deacon.
Irvin E. Miller married, September 2, 1886, Ellen N., born May 7, 1867, daughter of Jacob J. Glessner and sister of Frank P. Glessner. She was educated in the public schools. The fam- ily of Mr. and Mrs. Miller consists of the following children : Oscar T., born February 21, 1888, assists his father on the farm, member of the Reformed church; Jacob J. and Peter H.
116
BEDFORD AND SOMERSET COUNTIES
(twins), born May 8, 1892, attending school; Alda May and Alton (twins), born June 8, 1898, the latter died at the age of three months and the former is at school; also, a daughter, Lot- tie, born March 20, 1889, died at the age of three months.
Edward H. Miller, son of Peter T. and Sarah (Landis) Mil- ler, was born October 7, 1870, on the homestead, and obtained his education in the Glade public school. He remained on the farm with his father until of age, and at this period married, after which, for two years, he lived on the homestead, working for wages. He then purchased the farm and still owns and cul- tivates it. The estate consists of two hundred and twenty-five acres, mostly under cultivation, and is a fine property, with large and modern improvements. The barn, measuring fifty- two by one hundred and three feet, was built in 1890, and the house in 1888, both having been erected by Peter T. Miller. The place is well stocked with a good grade of horses, cattle and sheep, and in addition to the stock raised on the farm Mr. Miller buys and feeds for the market. There are good apple orchards and a sugar camp of six hundred and fifty vessels, producing annually twenty-five hundred pounds of maple sugar. Mr. Mil- ler is serving his second term as school director of Stony Creek township, and affiliates with the Republicans. He and his wife are members of the Glade congregation of the Reformed church, Mr. Miller being an ex-deacon and also belonging to the Sunday school.
Edward H. Miller married, April 21, 1891, Ida M. Will, and two children have been born to them: Webster, aged four- teen; and Maggie, aged ten. Mrs. Miller is a daughter of John H. Will, who was born September 10, 1845, and during the Civil war served in Company K, Fifth Regiment, Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, being honorably discharged at the close of the war. Mr. Will was a farmer until 1901, when he built a home in Downey and opened a grocery and feed store, which he has since conducted. He has served as school director and super- visor and is a Republican. He and his wife are members of the Reformed church, in which he serves as elder and of which he has been treasurer for twenty years. Mr. Will married, Jan- uary 23, 1868, Catherine, born July 24, 1844, daughter of Sol- omon and Dinah Engle, and they were the parents of five chil- dren, one of whom, Ida M., was born May 7, 1873, was educated in the township schools and became the wife of Edward H. Mil- ler.
SAMUEL B. YODER.
Samuel B. Yoder, of Berlin, is a representative of a family which was founded in Pennsylvania by Christian Yoder, a na- tive of Switzerland, who emigrated about 1745 to the province
117
BEDFORD AND SOMERSET COUNTIES
of Penn and settled in Berks county. In the spring of 1776 he removed with his family to Bedford, now Somerset county, where he had previously bought a large tract of timber land situated where Pugh now stands, about seven miles east of Som- erset, in Stony Creek township. The deed for this property was dated October 9, 1775, the consideration named therein being nine hundred and sixty-eight dollars. There were no roads and the nearest neighbor was five miles distant. There was a small clearing where Christian erected a log house and barn, a picture of which is owned by his great-grandson, Samuel B. Yoder. He then began his battle with the wilderness, wild beasts and occa- sional Indians. Field after field was cleared and cultivated, until he had one of the largest and best farms in the county. He was a member of the Amish Mennonite church.
Christian Yoder married, in Berks county, Barbara Hooley, and they were the parents of fifteen children, namely: Fanny, born in 1753; Barbara, 1756; Christian, 1758; Jacob, 1760; David, 1763; Yost, 1765; Jonathan, 1766; Magdalena, 1769; John, of whom later; Elizabeth, 1774; Solomon, 1776; Gertrude, 1778: Jephthah and Esther (twins), 1780; and Henry, 1782. Mrs. Yoder died March 6, 1812, at an advanced age, and Mr. Yoder expired November 20, 1816, being then about ninety years old. Nearly all their children settled in the immediate neigh- borhood and founded a community known as the Yoder settle- ment. They all reared large families and lived to advanced ages, and the Yoder settlement was, at that early period, the best cultivated and most prosperous section of the county.
John Yoder, son of Christian and Barbara (Hooley) Yoder, was born February 8, 1772, in Berks county, and was four years old when his parents came to Somerset county. Until his mar- riage he assisted in clearing the farm, which was then sold to him by his father, the deed being dated July 13, 1796, and the consideration being fourteen hundred and twenty-nine dollars and forty-four cents. In addition to the homestead he acquired a large tract in Cambria county, where the city of Johnstown now stands. This was divided into four farms, which were afterward owned by four of his children, one of these farms be- ing the site of Grand View cemetery, where sixteen hundred and twenty victims of the Johnstown flood are buried. Part of this tract is now Yoder township, having been named in honor of the family. JJohn Yoder was a Whig and a member of the Amish Mennonite church.
John Yoder married, in 1796, Barbara Yoder, to whom he was in no degree related, and their children were: Salome, wife of John Miller, had ten children, died May 21, 1877, aged eighty. Jonas, married Sarah Schrock, had nine children, accidentally killed June 15, 1860, aged sixty-two. Moses, walked from Penn-
118
BEDFORD AND SOMERSET COUNTIES
sylvania through the wilderness to Canada and settled on a tract of timber land twenty miles north of Toronto. He died in Canada, March 26, 1880, at the age of eighty. Daniel, mar- ried Kate Kaufman, had four children, died June 24, 1879. Samuel, married Elizabeth Lehman, had nine children, died April 8, 1872, aged sixty-eight. Gertrude, wife of Henry Hersh- berger, had seven children, died May 11, 1880, aged seventy-five. David, married Sarah Lehman, had seven children, died Janu- ary 8, 1856, aged fifty. Fanny, wife of Michael Schrock, had three children, died October 23, 1890, aged eighty-three. Eliz- abeth, wife of Samuel Kaufman, had thirteen children, died May 16, 1865, aged forty-three. Joshua, at twenty-two went to Can- ada, engaged in Mckenzie rebellion, and on defeat of the rebels fled through the forest to Niagara river, where he crossed to New York. Thence he went to Ohio and later to Union town- ship, Elkhart county, Indiana, where he took up and patented a large tract of timber land, which he cleared and on which he made his home. He married Maria Stump, had six children, and died March 28, 1867. Abner, taught in the schools and was a preacher of the Amish church, noted as an eloquent speaker and an able writer, the most gifted and intellectual member of the family. He married Fanny Schrock, had eleven children, and died December 12, 1883, at the age of seventy. Barbara, died in childhood. Benedict, of whom later. Lena, died in childhood. The mother of these children died December 1, 1856, at the age of eighty-one. She was a member of the Amish Men- nonite church. Mr. Yoder, the father, died October 4, 1860, having lived eighty-four years on the homestead, and leaving behind him the memory of a religious and conscientious man.
David Yoder, mentioned above, was the father of a son, Tobias Yoder, who served in the Union army during the Civil war. He participated in the fight at Charles City Cross Roads, where he was shot three times through the body and had his shoulder shattered by a charge of buckshot. After lying three days on the battlefield he was found by the enemy, taken to Libby prison and shortly afterward released on parole. He finally found his way into the Union lines, recovered and re- enlisted. Moses Yoder, his brother, served in the Fifty-fourth Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers. His son, John Yoder, served in the Fifty-fourth Regiment and died in a field hospital. Jonas Yoder, son of Samuel, brother of David, served in the Thirty-third Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers.
Benedict Yoder, son of John and Barbara (Yoder) Yoder, was born August 20, 1817, in Stony Creek township, and until his marriage worked for his father. He then bought a tract of timber land two miles west of the homestead and began wrest- ing a farm from the forest. On the night of May 9, 1853, the
119
BEDFORD AND SOMERSET COUNTIES
home he had built caught fire and burned to the ground, no property being saved and the family barely escaping with their lives. Four of the boys, small though they were, saved them- selves by jumping from the second-story windows. Mr. Yoder at once began rebuilding and erected the residence which still stands on the farm and in which he makes his home. He has always been an ardent Republican and is a member of the Amish church.
Mr. Yoder married, April 24, 1842, Sarah Miller, and their children are: Samuel B., of whom later; Daniel, born May 2, 1845, farmer and merchant in Kansas, married Maggie Yutzy, February 2, 1870, and has two children; Cornelius C., born September 21, 1846, educated in common and normal schools of Somerset county and in Iowa State University; taught four years and then moved to Ammish, Iowa, where he engaged in mercantile business; postmaster since 1871 and director in Wallman Savings Bank. He married, September 7, 1873, Mar- garet Palmer, and they have one child. John M., born Novem- ber 22, 1847, was a farmer and was killed by a train in Iowa City, Iowa, January 5, 1894. He was a well educated man and had collected material for much of the family history. Mary, born November 21, 1849, at home. Simon T., born May 3, 1851, educated in common and normal schools, and at the age of six- teen began teaching in the schools of Pennsylvania, later re- moving to Iowa and becoming an instructor in the schools of that state. For ten years he was a merchant in Iowa City, Iowa, and for three years in Haddam, Kansas, where he was postmaster and editor of the Haddam Clipper. He is now cashier of a bank in Washington, Kansas, where for six years he held the office of county clerk. He married Hattie E. Rhoades, who died November 23, 1884, leaving four children. Joseph H., born September 6, 1852, taught in Iowa schools; merchant and postmaster at Haddam; now merchant at Wash- ington, Kansas. He married Tina Shaft and has two children. Sarah, born March 12, 1854, widow of Valentine Lehman, lives in Brothers Valley township, has eight children. Nancy A., born May 1, 1856, wife of Hiram Rhoades, of McPherson, Kan- sas. Gertrude, born December 9, 1857, at home. Ezra, mer- chant of Sharon Center, Iowa, postmaster for the last fifteen years; married Jennie Bowman and has two sons. Kate A., born April 13, 1862, wife of N. E. Mostoller, living on the home- stead. Florence M., born May 4, 1869, wife of George Mos- toller, of Lister, has one child. A daughter, who died at the age of two weeks, was the only member of the family who failed to reach maturity.
Mrs. Yoder, the mother of the family, died May 30, 1900, in the seventy-sixth year of her age, having been born Novem-
120
BEDFORD AND SOMERSET COUNTIES
ber 20, 1824. She was a member of the Amish church and for fifty-eight years was a devoted wife and mother. Benedict Yoder, now in his eighty-ninth year, has never had a day's ill- ness and is as sound and active mentally as physically, his pro- longed vigor being, no doubt, the result of his habits of tem- perance and healthful toil.
Samuel B. Yoder, son of Benedict and Sarah (Miller) Yoder, was born May 15, 1843, in Stony Creek township, and received his education in the Schrock school. He worked for his father until 1862, when he enlisted in Company C, One Hun- dred and Forty-second Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers. He was with his regiment in all its battles until July 1, 1863, when he received at Gettysburg two severe gunshot wounds, one passing through the left arm and the other through the right breast, penetrating the lung and paralyzing the right arm. For six months he lay in the hospital, and in 1864 was honor- ably discharged from the service. He has no use of his right hand and arm, but has learned to use the left with perfect dexterity. After his return from the war he married, pur- chased a farm of one hundred acres, and, as well as his weak- ened condition would allow, directed the agricultural labors for thirteen years. At the end of that time, in consequence of ill health, he sold the property, and after taking two years for recuperation obtained a position as salesman for the Susque- hanna Fertilizer Company, selling to the farmers of Somerset and part of Cambria county. This position he retained twelve years, and in 1894 was appointed postmaster of Pugh, where he conducted a grocery store in connection with the postoffice. The property of twenty acres on which he now lives was pur- chased in 1883, and he has built thereon a pleasant home and made other improvements. January 14, 1905, he resigned the office of postmaster. For three years he served as assessor of Stony Creek township, and for the same length of time was jury commissioner of Somerset county. He belongs to Post No. 210, G. A. R., of Somerset, and is a Republican in poli- tics. He and his wife are members of the Mennonite church.
Mr. Yoder married, June 8, 1865, Catharine Mummau, and they have been the parents of the following children: Lizzie, born January 14, 1866, married, Jully 1, 1886, Alexander Hunt- er, of Shanksville, has four children, Mabel, Nannie, Kate and Morton. Sadie, born March 2, 1869, married, December 6, 1888, E. L. Coleman, of Shanksville. Margaret, born December 13, 1871. died October 29, 1882. Harvey G., born October 12, 1874, farmer, living with his father; married, June 27, 1895, Emma Walker, who had two children, Fred W., born October 3, 1895, and Russel S .. December 16, 1899. After the death of his wife he married, June 5, 1902, Abbie Miller. John H., born Jan-
121
BEDFORD AND SOMERSET COUNTIES
uary 25, 1879, died October 25, 1882. Annie K., born March 11, 1881, died October 27, 1882. Mrs. Yoder is a daughter of Jacob Mummau, who was born in 1814, and married, October 1, 1837, Elizabeth Miller, born August 17, 1819. The follow- ing were their children: Edward; Annie; John, killed in one of the battles of the Civil war; Maria; Catharine, born May 15, 1843, educated at Glade school, wife of Samuel B. Yoder; Caroline, and Sarah. Jacob Mammau died February 2, 1887, and the death of his widow occurred October 23, 1889.
JOHN M. TOPPER.
Deep in the heart of the Allegheny mountains, in Allegheny township, about one mile from the line dividing Somerset from Bedford county, lies the little borough of New Baltimore. Here, on the old Topper homestead, now within the borough limits, John M. Topper was born. The Topper family came from Vir- ginia and first settled in Bedford county. After a very short residence there they came to New Baltimore. Grandfather Topper later removed to Ohio, where he died. The family were mostly farmers and communicants of the Catholic church. In politics the voters of the family were Democrats.
Peter A. Topper, father of John M. Topper, was a man of considerable influence in the community. He was a Democrat and held a number of the township offices. He died November 9, 1865, at the age of fifty-one years. He married Mary A. Lucken, born 1814, died 1893, and had children: Annie, de- ceased, married William Webber; Mary, widow of Francis Suhie; Elizabeth, deceased, married Luke Brittlebum; Sylves- ter, deceased; John M., see forward; Ambrose, deceased; Francis, resides in New Baltimore; Rosalie, married Thomas Mattingly, of Cumberland, Maryland; Margaret, widow of John Straub; Joseph, a resident of New Baltimore.
John M. Topper, second son and fifth child of Peter A. and Mary A. (Lucken) Topper, was born September 29, 1844. He grew up on the farm and received such school advantages as the time and place afforded. This he supplemented by study at night until he had acquired a good common education. At the age of seventeen years he had so improved himself that he began teaching in the public schools during the winter months; this he did for six terms. Determining then upon a business life, he opened a general store at Roxbury in part- nership with his brother Sylvester. This was continued for three years, when they removed the business to New Baltimore. After one year there, John M. sold out his interest and was out of regular business for about four years. He then bought the general store business of his brother Francis in New Balti- more and retained it until the spring of 1906, when he sold it
122
BEDFORD AND SOMERSET COUNTIES
out to his son, Francis V. In addition to his mercantile inter- ests he associated himself with his brother Sylvester in 1870, and built and operated a distillery near New Baltimore. After ten years of this partnership he became the sole owner, and in 1880 bought the Suhrie distillery in Stony Creek township. He still owns and operates both plants, making a superior grade of pure rye whisky. His home in New Baltimore is a commodious, modern residence, with beautiful surroundings, and there he is living practically a retired life, having delegated many of the cares and responsibilities of his large business interests to his sons. He has large property interests in different localities and is an extensive land owner. He is a loyal adherent to Democratic principles, and, though having no desire for public office, has been councilman of the borough and member of the school board. He is much interested in educational matters, and has always labored in the cause of advancement and bet- ter opportunities for the young. In religion he adheres to the faith of his ancestors, as do all the members of his family.
While engaged in business in Roxbury he met Hattie J. Miller, born and educated in Stony Creek, daughter of Tobias and Margaret (Kimmel) Miller (see sketch of Miller family), whom he married, January 13, 1868, and had children: Francis V., who commenced assisting his father in the store of the latter at the age of ten years and grew up with the business. He became the owner of the same in the spring of 1906. Annie, deceased. Jennie, married James Gardill, yardmaster of the Duquesne Steel Works. They reside in Duquesne, Pennsylva- nia, and have five children. Emma, deceased. Cecilia, mar- ried John F. Werner, a carpenter and builder of New Balti- more. They have four children. Norbert, bookkeeper and trav- eling salesman in the employ of his father; unmarried. John A., graduated from Jefferson Medical College in 1904, and is now a practicing physician in Philadelphia. He married Sa- rah Butler. Urban, deceased. Gertrude, married Frank Gar- dill, electrical inspector at the Duquesne Steel Works. They reside in Duquesne, Pennsylvania. Zita, married Frank Ruhe, transfer agent at Duquesne, where they reside. Mark, now (1906) attending the Berlin Normal School. These children all received an excellent education in well known institutions and are thoroughly equipped to fill the various positions they occupy.
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.