USA > Pennsylvania > Bedford County > History of Bedford and Somerset Counties, Pennsylvania, with genealogical and personal history > Part 46
USA > Pennsylvania > Somerset County > History of Bedford and Somerset Counties, Pennsylvania, with genealogical and personal history > Part 46
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He assisted in the formation of the First National Bank of Berlin and has ever since been one of the directors. He is also interested financially in the "Berlin Gleaner," the Meversdale Fair and Stock Association, the Economy Telephone Company of Meyersdale and the First National Bank of Carrollton, Ohio. He is a member of the Lutheran church of Pine Hill, which he has served as trustee for many years. He belonged to the com- mittee appointed to superintend the building of the church re- cently erected, and was active in raising funds for that pur- pose.
Mr. Gambert married, October, 1887, in Ohio, Ellen Cole- man, of Pennsylvania, born in 1855, and a member of the Lu- theran church. They have no children. Mrs. Gambert is a daughter of William and Matilda Coleman, the former a farmer of Brothers Valley township. Mr. Coleman died in 1885, aged sixty years, and his widow, who is now seventy years old and in good health, makes her home with her daughter, Mrs. Gam- bert.
ANDREW J. BOOSE.
Andrew J. Boose, president of the Farmers' Mutual Union Association and Fire Insurance Company of Somerset county, was born in Summit township, Somerset county, Pennsylvania, February 9, 1849, a son of Rudolph and Susan (Walker) Boose,
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and grandson of Henry Boose, who came from Switzerland with his brother. Henry Boose settled in Allegheny township, Som- erset county, but the brother went farther on and all trace of him was lost. The descendants of Henry Boose, while attend- ing a church synod in Ohio a few years ago, met people of their own name from the northwest. Mutual investigation developed that they were the descendants of the brother of Henry Boose, who had finally settled in Michigan.
Rudolph Boose, son of Henry Boose, was born in Somerset county, in 1796, was reared on the farm and received such edu- cation as the time and place afforded. He was very bright and quick at acquiring the language, and was known as the most fluent English speaker of the neighborhood. He was a success- ful farmer, and a man of great business ability. He became one of the most prosperous men in the community. After coming into possession of an estate in Summit township, he settled upon the farm which was a part of the old Philip Walker estate, and there ended his days. About 1850 Mr. Boose, with twenty-three of his friends and neighbors, associated themselves for mutual protection from loss by fire in an association of which Mr. Boose, the chief organizer, was elected the first president. The growth of this company has been steady and now its members are found all over Somerset county. A statement of their pres- ent size and volume of business is found in the sketch of Ephraim Walker, secretary, which appears on another page in this work. The motto of the company is increased protection and decreased cost. Mr. Boose was a prominent Lutheran and a Democrat of the type known as "Jacksonian."
Rudolph Boose married, in 1824, Susan, daughter of Philip Walker, of Brothers Valley. They were the parents of ten chil- dren, namely: John, Frank, Henry, Eliza, Rudolph, Jacob, Susan, Samuel, William and Andrew J. Rudolph Boose died July 31, 1870; his wife, Susan (Walker) Boose, died October 15, 1869.
Andrew J. Boose was born and reared on the farm that was the gift of Philip Walker to his daughter Susan. This farm was entered and patented from the United States by George Shienfelt, and since 1824 has always been held in the Walker or Boose name. Andrew J. succeeded to the farm at his father's death, and since then successfully conducted the estate of three hundred acres until the present year (1906), when he passed his last night in the old home, sleeping in the room in which he was born fifty-seven years previous. He then turned the manage- ment of the farm over to his son, and is now a resident of Meyersdale. In 1898 Andrew J. Boose was elected to the presi- deney of the Fire Insurance Company founded by his father, and to the welfare of this company he devotes much of his time
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Andrew J. Boose married, November 18, 1869, Ellen, daughter of Peter and Margaret (Shafer) Suder, of Berlin, Pennsylvania. Ten children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Boose, as follows: Maggie B., wife of Harvey P. Berkley, children : Howard and Edgar Berkley. Cora B., wife of William Gnagey, residing near Berlin, and the mother of Lucille, Walter and Rob- ert Gnagey. Edith, wife of Walter McCleary, proprietor of the Commercial Hotel at Hyndman, Bedford county. Emma S., wife of William Englehart, of Cumberland, Maryland; they have one child, Margaret Englehart. Walter M., married Clara Bensinger, and resides on the old homestead. Minnie and Mary, the keepers of their father's home in Meyersdale. Harry, killed accidentally at the age of eleven. Grace and Rudolph, died in infancy. Mrs. Ellen (Suder) Boose, who was a faithful wife and loving mother, departed this life October 9, 1902.
FREDERICK BORDER.
Frederick Border, of Holsopple, is a grandson of John Bor- der, a native of Germany and an early settler of Bedford county, Pennsylvania. He followed the trade of a wagonmaker in con- nection with farming, his farm being situated about four miles from Schellburg. He was three times married and was the father of twenty-two children.
Daniel Border, son of John Border and his first wife, who was a Miss Black, was born about 1800, in Bedford county, and learned the carpenter's trade at Schellburg. In 1834 he moved to Conemaugh township, Somerset county, and there followed his trade during the remainder of his life. He served three years as tax collector of the township, and was captain in the state militia until it was disbanded. He was a Democrat and a member of the Lutheran church. Mr. Border married Char- lotte, daughter of M. Goeb, the first newspaper editor of Somer- set county, and their children were: John, born 1830; Fred- erick, see forward; Catharine, born 1834; Magdalena, born 1836; Charlotte, born 1838; Mary, born 1839; Daniel, born 1840; Jo- seph, born 1841; Rebecca, born 1842; Ella, born 1844. After the death of his wife Mr. Border married Mrs. Catherine Yeoman, widow of Joseph Yeoman, who bore him one son, Edward. The death of Mr. Border occurred in 1875, in Conemaugh township.
Frederick Border, son of Daniel and Charlotte (Geob) Bor- der, was born September 23, 1832, in Bedford county, and was about two years old when the family took up their abode in Conemaugh township. He was educated in the old log school house at Davidsville, and learned the carpenter's trade, at which he worked until twenty-five years of age. In 1859 he engaged in mercantile business in Johnstown, but after several years in business there sold out and went to Baltimore, Mary-
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land, in the wholesale fruit business. In the spring of 1888 he disposed of the business to his son Grant, who is still (1906) conducting it, and moved to Benson borough, where he has since given his attention to farming. He is a director in the Benson National Bank. At one time he held the office of tax collector. He is a Republican and a member of the Lutheran church.
Mr. Border married, in 1855, Elizabeth, daughter of Joseph Hoffman, and their children were: Arabella, died in childhood; Agnes (Mrs. Talman), a widow, one son, Carroll Talman. Lucy (Mrs. Gideon Bantz), of Baltimore, Maryland, children: Har- old, Dorothy and Davis. Grant, a merchant of Baltimore, Mary- land, married Kate Spicer, who bore him five children: one daughter and four sons-Gervis, Guy, Harley and Grant. Har- ley, engaged in the brokerage business in Baltimore, Maryland; unmarried. Anna, married Daniel Parsons, a lawyer of Johns- town, Pennsylvania, one child, Reginald Parsons. Another child, who died in infancy. After the death of the mother of these children, Mr. Border married Mary E., widow of John Keyler, of Jenner township.
JACOB F. KAUTZ.
Jacob F. Kautz, of Holsopple, is a grandson of Daniel Kautz, who was a cooper by trade, and in 1818 came to Somer- set county from Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. Later he moved to the state of Indiana, where he passed the remainder of his life. Mr. Kautz married Sarah, daughter of Sheriff Miller, who superintended the first execution that took place in Somerset county. Their children were: Perry, Chauncey, Chambers, Charles, Abraham B., see forward; Margaret, Mary, and Ellen. Mr. Kautz died in 1866, at the age of seventy-nine.
Abraham B. Kautz, son of Daniel and Sarah (Miller) Kautz, was born in 1831, in Somerset county, and followed the trade of a wagonmaker. In 1854 he opened a shop in Davids- ville, remaining one year, and then moving to Bedford, where he worked at his trade for about three years. Thence he moved to Hollidaysburg, Blair county, and there passed another three years. In 1861 he settled in Jennerstown, where he made his home until 1887. In that year he moved to Mount Pleasant, Westmoreland county, and there passed the residue of his days, dying in 1905. During the civil war he served with the rank of sergeant in the Two Hundred and Eleventh Regiment, Penn- sylvania Volunteers. While a resident of Mount Pleasant he served as councilman from the first ward. He was a member and trustee of the Presbyterian church. Mr. Kautz married, about 1852, Margaret, daughter of Jacob Friedline, and they were the parents of two sons: Jacob F., see forward, and Ed- ward B., born in 1864, married Nora Baughman and has one son,
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Charles. Mrs. Kautz died while the family were residing in Jennerstown, and Mr. Kautz subsequently married Mrs. Mary Luther. His death occurred August, 1905.
Jacob F. Kautz, son of Abraham B. and Margaret ( Fried- line) Kautz, was born January 18, 1854, and learned the trade of carriage-making, at which he worked in Jennerstown in part- nership with his father, the firm being known as A. B. Kautz & Son. Later it became that of Kautz Brothers, remaining so until 1891, when Mr. Kautz opened a shop in Johnstown, which he conducted for six years. At the end of that time he moved to Somerset county and established himself on the old farm. For the last five years he has been proprietor of the Kautz Hotel in Benson borough. He is a Republican in politics.
Mr. Kautz married, in 1876, Emma M., daughter of Noah Shaffer, of Quemahoning township, and their family consists of four children : Earl W., born April 7, 1881, employed with his father; he married Mattie, daughter of Herman Swank; one son, Robert. Carl K., born December 29, 1884. Frank S., born February 27, 1890. May E., born May 17, 1892.
ROLLIN HOLSOPPLE.
The family of which Rollin Holsopple, of Holsopple, is a representative, has been for nearly two centuries resident in this country, and its history, since the emigration, may be traced through the following generations :
(I) John Adam Holsopple, a native of Holland, emigrated thence about 1720, and settled first at Plainfield, then called Smoketown, where he led the customary life of a pioneer.
(II) Henry Holsopple, son of John Adam Holsopple, was born in 1778, and enlisted in the army during the war of 1812. He was taken prisoner by the Indians and burned at the stake at Delevery, Ohio. His hat, which was adorned with an emblem, was lost, but was afterward recovered, and the emblem has ever since been preserved in the family. It is now in the possession of Rollin Holsopple, to whom it was given by Mr. S. Custer. Henry Holsopple married, at Little York, Susannalı Lafever, and subsequently moved to Green Brier county, West Virginia. He and his wife were the parents of the following children : Isaac, Charles, Catharine, Elizabeth, Adam, Polly, Sarah, and Samuel. After the tragic death of Henry Holsopple his widow returned to her father, a merchant of York, who gave her five hundred acres of land which the owner, who was going east, had offered him in payment for an overcoat. The land was situated in Paint township and on it the town of Holsopple has since been built. On this property the widow took up her abode and there reared her family. She died in Holsopple in 1858.
(III) Adam Holsopple, son of Henry and Susannah (La-
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fever) Holsopple, was born in 1808, and was a life-long farmer, passing all his days in Paint township. Politically he was first a Whig and later a Republican, and in matters of religion ad- hered to the faith of the German Reformed church. He mar- ried Salome, daughter of John Lope, and their children were: Helena, born in 1836, wife of Henry Ream; Lucinda, born in 1838, married (first) John MacAteer and (second) Michael St. Clair; Edmund, see forward; Isaiah, born in 1842, married Tiny Blough; Flora, born in 1844, wife of Levi Grinssly; Catharine, born in 1845, married Hiram Geiseo; Philemon, born in 1846, married Amanda Buterbaugh; Adam, born in 1847; Eve, born in 1849, wife of Jeremiah Spigler; Adaline, born in 1848, mar- ried (first) J. F. Custer, and (second) Jacob Knable; Simon, born in 1849, married Jemima Lohr; Salome, born in 1850, wife of Jackson St. Clair; and Charles, born in 1852, married Kate Shaffer.
(IV) Edmund Holsopple, son of Adam and Salome (Lope) Holsopple, was born January 10, 1840, in Paint township, and in 1861 enlisted in Company I, Fifty-fourth Regiment, Penn- sylvania Volunteers. He was wounded and taken prisoner at the battle of Newmarket, June 15, 1864, and was recaptured by the United States Army, October 19, 1864. A member of Johnstown Post, Grand Army of the Republic. In 1871 he pur- chased a farm in Paint township, on which he made his home for about twenty-one years, and then moved on the farm known as the Henry Custer farm, where he now resides. He has held the office of school director, is a Republican in politics and con- tributes to the support of churches of all denominations. Mr. Holsopple married, in 1865, Eliza Berkebile, and they have been the parents of the following children: Emma Jane, born Sep- tember 14, 1866, wife of Henry Nagle; Rollin, see forward; Clarissa, born January 21, 1869, wife of Levi Lehman; Leon, born April 17, 1870, married Priscilla Guster; Sydney, born August 7, 1871, married Susie Custer and was killed by the explosion of a steam boiler, April 14, 1898; Russell, born Feb- ruary 21, 1873, married Sevilla Faust; Leslie, born March 25, 1874, married Elsie Johns; Guy, born September 28, 1876, mar- ried Louise Bentley and died August 8, 1903; Bruce, born July 27, 1882; and Clyde, born November 18, 1883.
(V) Rollin Holsopple, son of Edmund and Eliza (Berke- bile) Holsopple, was born November 5, 1867, and received his education in the common schools. At the age of twenty-one he went to Johnstown, where he engaged in business as a butcher, but after a time sold out and migrated to California. After spending two years in travel he returned to Johnstown, where he became a wholesale and retail meat dealer. At the end of two years he disposed of the business and moved to Holsopple,
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where for three years he was engaged in the same industry. He then purchased the Hotel Holsopple, of which he has since been the successful proprietor. Since taking the hotel Mr. Hol- sopple has put in bathrooms and modern plumbing and in- stalled a private electric light plant for lighting the entire build- ing. He has refurnished and improved the property and made it a favorite stopping place for travelers. He affiliates with Alma Lodge, No. 523, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of Johnstown, and is a Republican in politics.
Mr. Holsopple married, January 14, 1895, Anna K. Schwing, and their children are: Catharine M., born December 2, 1896; Nellie E., July 3, 1899; Lillian A., June 29, 1901; and Helen G., September 19, 1904.
JOHN MILLER WRIGHT.
John Miller Wright, a prosperous farmer and business man of Salisbury, is a son of John Wright, one of the old veterans of the freighting and stage coach days on the National road from Baltimore west, familiarly known as the "Old Pike," and grandson of James Wright, a farmer of Somerset county, who died at an extremely old age. James Wright reared a large family, who mostly became farmers and farmers' wives and lived, in nearly every instance, to a very old age. His chil- dren were: John, see forward; Nancy, James, Rachel, Veach, Susan, Betsey, Jerry, Samuel and Martha.
John Wright was born September, 1808, on the home farm near Confluence, Somerset county. He received such education as the times and place afforded, and until reaching his ma- jority was an assistant of his father in farm labor. He taught for a time in the schools during the winter months. The Na- tional road or "pike" at that time offered the best opening for employment for men and teams, and young Wright was soon engaged as a freighter, driving the great teams with their heavy loads of freight from Baltimore west to Cumberland and Wheeling. This occupation he followed for several years, after which he abandoned the road and became clerk of the old How- ard House in Baltimore. Here, in 1836, he met and married
Rebecca Stout, a young lady from Philadelphia. The young couple removed to Maryland, where John began again the life of a farmer, and for forty-five years thereafter in Maryland and Pennsylvania this was his principal business. For the last thirty-two years he cultivated a farm near Salisbury, and for twenty-three years of this period his residence was in Salis- bury. The town of Boynton is part of the old farm. While liv- ing in town Mr. Wright worked the farm and also conducted a general teaming business. He was one of the supervisors of the township. For the last thirty years of his life he was a
Vol. III 28
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member of the German Baptist church. In politics he was a Democrat.
The children of John and Rebecca (Stout) Wright are: Mary (Mrs. Alfred Yeast), Sarah (Mrs. Alexander Reckner), Cynthia (Mrs. John Koontz), Charles, a farmer and lumber- man of Greenville township; Elizabeth (Mrs. Silas Wagner), Germanus, a farmer of Greenville township; Rebecca (Mrs. Joseph Wagner), John Miller, see forward; Abigail, died in infancy; Ruhamah (Mrs. Headley Hoe), who with her hus- band and family were sufferers in the great fire of 1906 that de- stroved San Francisco, their home; Martha (Mrs. Augustus Winters). John Wright died in 1901, after a long and busy life, having attained the great age of ninety-three. He was an ex- ceedingly vigorous and active man until three years previous to his death, when he was disabled by a fall. His wife, Re- becca (Stout) Wright, died aged eighty-five.
John Miller Wright was born on a farm lying along the Na- tional pike near Grantsville, Maryland, May 23, 1855. He at- tended the public schools until fifteen years old, and worked on his father's farm until attaining his majority. Until 1876 he worked at farming in Frostburg, Maryland, and then went west and located in Marshall county, Iowa, where he remained three years. Returning to Pennsylvania, he worked at min- ing for two years, and in 1883 married and moved on a farm in Greenville. In 1885 he purchased a large farm near Salis- bury, on a portion of which purchase he still resides. Mr. Wright is also interested in other lines of business besides his land dealings, which have been many and varied. He holds a one-third interest in the First National Bank of Boswell, Penn- sylvania, of which he is a director. His latest undertaking is in connection with the Pennsylvania & Maryland Street Rail- way Company, of which he is director and assistant general manager. He is in charge of the construction now going on between Salisbury and Meyersdale. The plans include the ex- tension of the road in both ways, ultimately connecting Frost- burg, Maryland, with Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Mr. Wright casts his vote for the candidates of the Democratic party, but has never accepted public office. He is a member of the Re- formed church of Salisbury. Mr. Wright's life has been an active and an arduous one. The success he has attained is all his own, as he has fought the battle of life almost alone, un- aided by inherited weath save that of an indomitable spirit, a stout heart and a sound body bequeathed to him by his farmer ancestors.
Mr. Wright married, March 22, 1883, Christena, born 1856, daughter of Henry Remhold, a farmer of Greenville township, and four children have been born to them, namely: Cynthia,
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born July 26, 1887, a student at the California State Normal School; Edith, who died at the age of ten years; Grace, born September 23, 1893; Harvey, born September 24, 1900.
WILIAM F. HOOVER.
The name of the family of which William F. Hoover, of Hooversville, is a representative, was originally spelled Huber. The race was planted in this country by George Hoover (or Huber), who was born in 1752, near Basel, Switzerland, and came to the American colonies with his parents and his only brother, Ulrich. They arrived a number of years before the outbreak of the Revolutionary war, and settled in York, Penn- sylvania. At the time of the war George Hoover was in pros- perous circumstances and loaned the struggling colonies twenty- two hundred pounds. After the declaration of peace the debt was paid, but was later repudiated, having been liquidated in Continental money.
George Hoover was married three times, his first wife being a Miss Shearer, by whom he was the father of eight children, six of whom, with their mother, died within six weeks. His second wife was Catharine Miller, of York, Pennsylvania, who bore him the following children: Margaret, wife of Philip Fehl ; Mary, wife of Henry Jones; Eve, wife of Frederick Eyeholds ; Katie, wife of George Eyeholds; Jacob, married Barbara Mo- ritz; George, married Susan Tate; Samuel, married Margaret Raffensberger, and after her death the widow of John Moles; Jonas, see forward; and two who died in infancy.
Jonas Hoover, son of George and Catharine (Miller) Hoover, was born August 14, 1794, and served two years in the war of 1812, accompanying Colonel Scott in his march through Bedford county. At Bedford he was taken ill, but recovered and rejoined his regiment at Erie. He took part in both en- gagements at Fort Erie and in the battle of Niagara, where Colonel Scott was fatally wounded and was supported in his saddle by Mr. Hoover as his horse was led from the field. Mr. Hoover was honorably discharged in 1814. In 1836 he sold his farm at Chambersburg, and went to Somerset county, settling, in 1847, in Hooversville, which was named in his honor. He gave his attention to farming, at the same time owning and operating a gristmill which had been built by John A. Clark. In 1847 Mr. Hoover erected near his mill another, which is still in operation. From 1852 to 1862 he served as justice of the peace in Quemahoning township, from which Hooversville was taken. He adhered to the Democratic party and was a member of the German Reformed church.
After his discharge from the army Mr. Hoover married a Miss Dearderf, the issue of the marriage being three children:
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Catharine, Martha, and John, see forward. His second wife was Mary Lohrsbaugh, and their children were: David, George and Mary. The third wife of Mr. Hoover was Elizabeth Krich- baum, and they were the parents of one child, Amelia. Jonas Hoover died January 10, 1874.
John Hoover, son of Jonas Hoover, was born January 24, 1824, in Somerset county, and was a miller by trade, owning and operating a mill at Holsopple. April 1, 1885, he sold the mill and settled on the farm known as the "Martha Riffle farm" at Hooversville. He was a Democrat and always contributed liberally toward the support of churches of all denominations. Mr. Hoover married Elizabeth, daughter of Jacob Blough, and their children were: Zephannah, born June 13, 1850, died Oc- tober 9, 1852; Mary C., born May 19, 1853, died February 19, 1858; Alonzo, born August 5, 1855, died September 21, 1855; Milton, born September 20, 1856; Nelson, born October 17, 1858; Sarah J., born December 19. 1860; and William F., see forward. Mr. Hoover died August 24, 1885, and his widow passed away April 29, 1894.
William F. Hoover, son of John and Elizabeth (Blough) Hoover, was born November 28, 1862, and resides on the farm owned by his father. His two brothers, Milton and Nelson, and his sister, Sarah J., make their home with him. Milton has served in the council of Hooversville and also as inspector of election boards. Nelson has been, for one term, auditor of Hooversville borough. All the brothers are Democrats. Wil- liam P. and Nelson are members of the Christian church.
CHARLES L. SPENCER.
Charles L. Spencer, of Scalp Level, is a son of Jeremiah Spencer, who in 1861 enlisted in the Union army and served throughout the war. He then joined the regular army; went west, it is supposed with General Custer, and was never heard from after the defeat of that commander on the Little Big Horn. Jeremiah Spencer married Amelia Cover, who bore him a son, Charles L. Spencer.
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