USA > Pennsylvania > Bedford County > History of Bedford and Somerset Counties, Pennsylvania, with genealogical and personal history > Part 7
USA > Pennsylvania > Somerset County > History of Bedford and Somerset Counties, Pennsylvania, with genealogical and personal history > Part 7
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George Rayman (grandfather) was born in 1768 and died in 1834. He and his wife, Elizabeth Rayman, located in Shade township, keeping house under an oak tree until a log house was built for a home. Industry was one of the marked character- istics of Mr. Rayman, and during his first year of married life he cleared eight acres of land in the hitherto unbroken wilder- ness. In church connections they were Lutherans, having be- come members of this church when very young, and they worked earnestly and untiringly for the promotion of its principles. They became the parents of eleven children, all of whom are now deceased, namely: Mary, married a Mr. Hartman, and removed to Illinois; John, married a Miss Beachly, and they made their home in Somerset; Elizabeth, wife of Henry Fritz; they lived in Somerset; Susanna, deceased; Henry, married and they lived in Somerset county; George, of whom later; Samuel, married a Miss Beachy, and they resided in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, where their death occurred; Jacob, married Elizabeth Fike, and lived in Stony Creek town- ship; Joseph, went to the west when fifty years of age, and married and died there; Sarah, became the wife of Jacob Weigle, and lived in Stony Creek township; Lydia, married John H. Snyder; they made their home with Mrs. Snyder's father, George Rayman. The entire family affiliated with the Lutheran church with the exception of Jacob, who belonged to the Dunkards.
George G. Rayman (father) was born in Stony Creek township. Somerset county, Pennsylvania, and was a farmer by occupation. In 1831 he married Nancy Good, who was also a native of Somerset county. The country at that time was very sparsely populated, and after their marriage the young couple located on a tract of land which Mr. Rayman had pur- chased. It was thickly covered with timber, and in an unim- proved, uncultivated condition. Mr. Rayman erected a log cabin, into which they moved before it was completed, having neither windows nor doors, and with only about half of an acre of land cleared around it. Wild animals roamed at will through
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the country at that time, and Mrs. Rayman has related that at times she was unable to sleep, owing to the howling of the wolves and bears outside. During their residence there they cleared and improved two hundred acres of land. The original log cabin subsequently gave way to a modern two-story dwell- ing house, with six large rooms, and a bank barn 45x100 feet. They were fairly well educated in the English and German languages, and were Lutherans in their religious faith. They both worked earnestly toward the furtherance of the doctrines of the church, and were sincere in all mission work. In poli- ties Mr. Rayman affiliated with the Republican party, and served at various times as school director and tax collector. He was an industrions, energetic citizen, and was held in the highest esteem by all who knew him.
Mr. and Mrs. George G. Rayman were the parents of chil- dren as follows: 1. Susanna, born 1834, married C. A. Brant, who was engaged in the mercantile business in Shanksville until a few years ago, when he sold out to his sons, and has since lived a retired life. 2. Jacob, born 1836, married Sally Rights; he was a farmer by occupation, being actively engaged in this work until the spring of 1905, when he sold his farm to his son and retired. 3. Cyrus, born 1838, married Lavinia Coleman; he was a farmer, and died in 1896. 4. Noah, born 1840, married Mary Coleman, and was a farmer by occupation, having lived on his father's farm. He died in 1902. 5. David, born June 24, 1842, enlisted August 8, 1862, Company E, One Hundred and Twenty-third Regiment of Pennsylvania Volun- teers. He contracted typhoid fever, and died in the hospital at Sharpsburg, October 20, 1862. 6. Sarah, born 1844, mar- ried W. H. Barnhart, a school teacher of Somerset county, and who served in the Civil war for three years. They lived in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. 7. Elizabeth, born 1846, died in in- fancy. 8. Edward, born 1849, died in infancy. 9. Albert E., of whom later. All these children of George G. Rayman were active, earnest workers in the Lutheran church, where they held many of the official positions, except Jacob, who was a loyal German Baptist. The death of George C. Rayman occurred in 1857, and that of his wife in 1866.
Albert E. Rayman was educated in the common and high schools of Somerset county, and was engaged for six terms in teaching in the county schools. He then was engaged for some years in farming in summer and teaching in the winter months, and in the year 1884 took a course in surveying and engineer- ing, and has since followed this profession. For the past ten years he has been engaged in farming, mine surveying, and has dealt very extensively in coal lands, his last deal being culmi- nated in June, 1905, when he sold one thousand acres of coal
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lands, situated in Brothers Valley and Stony Creek townships, to E. J. Berwin, of the Berwin & White Coal Company. In the practice of his profession of surveyor, Mr. Rayman often came in contact with farmers who disagreed as to the boundary of their lands, but he has had very little trouble in adjusting these matters, owing to the fact that he is looked upon as an expert engineer, and one whose opinion can always be relied upon. Mr. Rayman recalls an instance when he was called upon by the court to fix the boundary between Allegheny and Fair Hope townships, which was then in dispute. Requesting the citizens to show him a corner, he was conducted to a stoneheap, which they said was recognized by both townships as a corner, and, setting his instrument up over the stoneheap, started on the survey, which he completed in two days. Although the lines he ran did not accord exactly with the opinion of the inhabitants of the township, his decision was accepted, and the dispute was settled with satisfaction to all. He has been frequently called upon as a witness in court. On one occasion a case was tried between a limestone company and a coal company, where the former had a draft in evidence and three engineers to testify to it, which so greatly differed from the draft produced by Mr. Rayman, in the interest of the coal company, that the counsel for the coal company feared lest the case be lost. When Mr. Rayman was given an opportunity to explain his case on the witness stand, he did so very satisfactorily and came out vic- torious.
In political relations Mr. Rayman accords allegiance to the Republican party, and works actively and untiringly in the in- terests of that organization. He is a member of the Friedens Evangelieal Lutheran church. He was a member of the church council for nine years in succession, founded what was known as the Zerfoss Sunday-school, of which he was superintendent for a number of years, until it changed to the Mispah Sunday- school. He was superintendent of this also for one year, and was always a liberal contributor to all benevolent enterprises. Fraternally Mr. Rayman is a member of the Royal Arcanum.
He married, April 5, 1874, Kate Trent, a daughter of Stephen and Elizabeth (Will) Trent, who were the parents of children as follows: Julia, deceased; Charles, who served in the war of the rebellion; James, William, Kate, Mary, Alex- ander, Edward, Josiah and Sarah, all now living in Somerset, excepting Sarah, who married J. F. Blakeney, a printer, and they live in Greensburg, Westmoreland county. All of the sons are farmers by occupation. Mr. and Mrs. Rayman have children as follows: Minerva C., born March 17, 1875; Lollie G., February 27. 1879; Cordie B., February 19, 1884; Webster H., March 4, 1887, all born in Stony Creek township. Of these
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children Minerva C. is the wife of Irvin J. Schrock, a farmer of Somerset township; Lollie G. is married to Harvey J. Fritz, miner, Somerset township, and Cordie B. and Webster H. still reside at home. All are well educated.
HARVEY SCHROCK.
Harvey Schrock, the highly efficient and trustworthy steward of the "Somerset County Home" and superintendent of the County Hospital, is a native of Somerset county, descended through the following line from Germany :
(I) Christian Schrock, born in Germany, emigrated to Pennsylvania and first settled in some one of the extreme east- ern counties, but subsequently removed to and became one of the early pioneers of Brothers Valley, Somerset county. The name of his wife was Fanny. Among their children was one son named Jacob C. Schrock. Christian Schrock and family entered the wild forests and cleared up land and made for themselves a comfortable home. He died very suddenly.
(II) Jacob C. Schrock, son of Christian and Fanny Schrock, was born in Somerset county, Pennsylvania, in 1812, and died September 26, 1887. He was a farmer. He married Catharine Horner, a native of Somerset county, born 1815, died November 3, 1891. They were the parents of four sons and five daughters: Joseph, deceased; George J., now living at the borough of Somerset, John, Israel J., Mary, married Daniel Bechley and lives at Johnstown, Pennsylvania; Sally, married John F. Rayman; Peggy, married J. J. Rayman; Annie, mar- ried William Platt, and is now deceased; Kate, married E. Blouch.
(III) George J. Schrock, son of Jacob C. and Catharine (Horner) Schrock, born in Somerset county, Pennsylvania, re- ceived a good common school education and followed farm- ing until 1889, when he removed to the borough of Somerset, where he leads a retired life. He married (first) Susan Musser, daughter of Jacob Musser and wife, by whom were born two children-Harvey, of whom later, and Ida, wife of H. H. Hay. The mother died in 1864 and for his second wife Mr. Schrock married Elizabeth, daughter of Samuel S. Meyers and wife, of Berlin, Pennsylvania. By this union three children were born: Alice, Ada, married Gilbert Cober; Meyers L., married Olie Yoder. Politically George J. Schrock is a Republican and in his church faith adheres to that of the Dunkards.
(IV) Harvey Schrock, son of George J. and Susan (Mus- ser) Schrock, born in Brothers Valley township, Somerset county, Pennsylvania, August 1, 1862, received a good educa- tion in the schools of his native county, and followed the inde- pendent life of a farmer until he accepted his present official
Mal Schrock
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position. In 1892 he moved from his native township to the farm of one hundred and twenty-three acres he still holds, and which is located about two miles from Somerset borough, ad- joining the "County Farm." In April, 1904, he took his pres- ent place as steward and hospital supreintendent of the County Home, having been elected by the poor directors. He is well qualified to manage this institution, which has on an average of one hundred and eight inmates, seventy-five of whom are insane subjects, composed of twenty-eight females and forty- seven males, which require great care and skill to properly manage. The farm of three hundred and forty-seven acres which belongs to the county has to be managed by Mr. Schrock,. as well. He still owns his farm, which is well improved. Mr. Schrock is a Republican and in church relations a Dunkard.
He married (first), September 17, 1882, Lizzie Sebits, daughter of Abraham Sebits and wife, by whom two children were born: Albert H., 1883; Lizzie E., 1884. The mother died October 3, 1884. For his second wife Mr. Schrock married Susan Lands, daughter of Abraham G. and Harriet (Speicher) Lands. By this union two children have been born: Mabel H., Feb- ruary, 1888; and Earl A., August 16, 1893. Both Abraham Sebits and Abraham Lands, fathers-in-law of Mr. Schrock, served in the Union army in the rebellion.
WILLIAM M. SCHROCK.
William M. Schrock, a prominent and widely known cit- izen of Somerset, Somerset county, Pennsylvania, former proprietor and editor of the Somerset Standard, who rendered signal service to the government during the Civil war, and who is at present engineer and superintendent of the work of constructing the bridges in Somerset county, traces his descent to ancestors who had for their home the beautiful country of Switzerland.
(I) Schrock, the great-grandfather of William M. Schrock and the founder of the family in this country, was the holder of a prominent political office under the then rul- ing power in Switzerland, Europe, about the year 1700. Ow- ing to political changes in the government he and his family were banished from the country, and they found a safe refuge in Holland. In the short period of three months, they were obliged to dispose of all their property in Switzerland-real estate holdings as well as personal property-and this they were obliged to do at a great sacrifice. They made their home in Holland for three years and then emigrated to America, and established themselves in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. Here they concluded to make their permanent home, and settled down to farming pursuits.
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(II) John Schrock, son of Schrock (1), the founder of the family in America, was born in 1754. He with one of his half-brothers migrated to Somerset county, Penn- sylvania, in or about 1765, and settled in the vicinity of Ber- lin. He received what was considered a good education in those days, attending the subscription schools of the district. This education was principally conducted in German. He was a member of the Mennonite church, and followed the occupation of farming until his death, which occurred in 1813. John Schrock was the father of four sons and five daughters, whose combined ages aggregated seven hundred and seventy-five years, none having died less than fifty-eight years old, and one having attained the ripe age of ninety-four years.
There are at the present time (1906) about eighty male descendants of voting age, who trace their ancestry back to these two half-brothers. These live in Somerset county, Pennsyl- vania, and fully as many more have migrated to other places. They have representatives in all professions and occupations. The name was originally spelled Schrack.
(III) Aaron Schrock, youngest son of John Schrock (2), was born near Berlin, Somerset county, Pennsylvania, January 30, 1805. His education was an excellent one, being conducted in both German and English, and at the proper time he was apprenticed to a blacksmith to learn a trade which was in great demand in those days. He became an expert in this as also in the manufacture of fine edge tools, for which his reputation was unsurpassed. He was always ready to take his full share of responsibility in conducting the affairs of his town or the country at large, and was for fifteen years a justice of the peace, was captain of a home military company, and held many minor offices. His political opinions were those of the Whig party, and later those of the Republicans. His religion was that of the Disciples or Christian church. He married, May 15, 1825, Catherine Meyers, born near Meyersdale, Somer- set county, Pennsylvania, October 10, 1805, died December 14. 1840, daughter of Christian Meyers, who was of German de- scent and a farmer. Mr. Meyers was one of the German Bap- tist Brethren or Dunkards. Aaron and Catherine (Meyers) Schrock were the parents of four children: 1. Caroline, died at the age of sixty-five years; 2. Edward, born October 8, 1828, in Somerset county, Pennsylvania, resided there fifty years. He taught school at the age of eighteen years, and then engaged in mercantile pursuits for the greater part of the time of his residence there. He was a representative for Somerset county in the legislature for two terms, and prothonotary for one term. He held two commissions in the army during the Civil war. one as captain and one as major. At present (1906) he is a
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resident of Seattle, Washington. 3. Amos, born February 29, 1832, was a manufacturer of and dealer in house furniture in Chicago for the greater part of his life. He died at the age of seventy-three years. He also held two commissions during the Civil war, as an army officer. 4. William M. Schrock, see forward.
(IV) William M. Schrock, youngest child and son of Aaron (3) and Catherine (Meyers) Schrock, was born in Tur- keyfoot township, Somerset county, Pennsylvania, August 19, 1837. He was educated in the public schools of his native town- ship, and in addition had the benefit of six months' attendance at a collegiate institute in Somerset, Pennsylvania. At the early age of sixteen years he commenced to teach in the pub- lic schools, and assisted his father on the farm and in the black- smith shop until he was eighteen years of age. He thien oh- tained a position in a country store, and a year later, early in 1859, went with four companions to the west. They started with a three-yoke ox team and a supply of provisions to last them six months. They crossed the plains, then known as the Great American desert, in search of gold at Pike's Peak. In this search they were as unsuccessful as so many thousands of others, and Mr. Schrock returned to Somerset later in the same year, a bankrupt in money and worldly goods, but rich in expe- rience and knowledge of the then wild west. The exposure, suf- fering and misery of hundreds of people were heart-rending in the extreme. He again took up the work of a clerk in a store. Later, in 1870, with his eldest brother, Edward, he estab- lished the Somerset Standard, a paper which enjoyed a con- siderable amount of popularity and influence. Later it was merged with another newspaper. In 1894, in connection with his son-in-law, John A. Lambert, he again established and be- gan the publication of the Somerset Standard, and a few years later withdrew from this, leaving his son-in-law to continue the publication. Mr. Schrock has served his country and town in various capacities. He was for six years clerk .for the county commissioners, and has always taken an active interest in all movements that tended to the welfare of the community. He is a civil engineer and for almost twenty-five years has been the engineer and superintendent for the construction of bridges in the county.
Mr. Schrock's military career is one of which any man may well be proud. In 1863, when the president issued his call for volunteers for the period of six months, Mr. Schrock recruited a company of eighty men, rank and file, at New Centreville, in seven days, and tendered their services to the government. `On June 24th a United States mustering officer appeared at New Centreville, the rendezvous, and duly mustered this company
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into the United States service. This was the only company mustered in by a regular United States muster officer in Somerset county during the course of the Civil war. The com- pany remained at New Centreville, without arms or uniforms, until July 6th, when it was ordered to Berlin, arms having been secured at the county seat. Public raids were feared from Maryland, and on July 9th the company was ordered to Hunting- don, Pennsylvania, where a large number of troops had been assembled under the command of Colonel Miles. A few weeks later camp was broken and all troops were sent away except the company from Somerset county, which was retained to do provost duty during a draft. On August 31st the captain, sec- ond lieutenant and sixteen privates were drafted for three years' service. A few days later the company was ordered to Har- risburg, and then to Gettysburg, where they guarded the field hospital on the battlefield until it was dispensed with in the latter part of October. This company was also in active service at Lewisburg, Sunbury and Selins Grove. From December 11, 1863, until January 8, 1864, the Somerset company was in charge of the Soldiers' Retreat at Harrisburg, where frequent- ly rations were provided for from five hundred to one thousand soldiers who dropped off from trains at meal times. The com- pany was mustered out January 8, 1864. During the month of August, 1864, Mr. Schrock again assisted in recruiting a com- pany, this time of one hundred men, and was chosen captain, on arriving at the place of rendezvous, which was at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. Here an artillery regiment which was in proc- ess of formation lacked a company with the requisite number of men, one hundred and forty-four. A veteran officer had forty men under his charge and expressed his willingness to join forces with Captain Schrock's company if the captaincy were given to him. Mr. Schrock resigned his command in favor of this veteran, and accepted a lieutenancy in the same com- pany. Soon after reaching the fortifications at Washington, where the regiment had been ordered, Mr. Schrock succumbed to the strain of his overwork, and was stricken with fever and sent to the hospital, where he was obliged to remain for two months, and was finally discharged from the Georgetown Sem- inary Hospital as being incapacitated for further active serv- ice. This was January 2, 1865. Mr. Schrock is a member of the R. P. Cummins Post No. 210, Grand Army of the Repub- lic, Department of Pennsylvania, of which he has been adjutant for ten years, and has been commander. He is a member of the Christian or Disciple church, and deservedly esteemed and re- spected by his fellow citizens.
Mr. Schrock married, December 10, 1859, in Somerset county, Mary E. Foy, daughter of George and Catherine Foy. She
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was educated in the public schools, and taught in them from the age of sixteen until she was twenty years old. George Foy, Mrs. Schrock's father, was a Methodist minister; her mother the daughter of a farmer, Martin Shank, who migrated when a boy from Lebanon county, Pennsylvania, to Somerset county, Pennsylvania, about the year 1800. George Foy, Mrs. Schrock's grandfather, came to Somerset county from Greencastle, Penn- sylvania. He served one term as prothonotary of Somerset county, and was engaged for many years in the mercantile bus- iness. Mr. and Mrs. William M. Schrock are the parents of nine children: 1. Clora J., born September 11, 1860, married Thomas Barnett, died August. 1902. 2. Ellie (twin), born March 3, 1862, married Dr. C. A. Lutz, of Philadelphia, Penn- sylvania, who was a physician on the Aleutian islands for sev- eral years for the Alaska Commercial Company, and for a num- ber of years on a steamer plying between San Francisco and China. 3. Carrie (twin), born March 3, 1862, married John A. Lambert, editor of the Somerset Standard. 4. Aaron F., born in Somerset county, May 16, 1865, editor of daily and weekly newspaper in Defiance, Ohio, died in 1899. 5. Julia M., born February 21, 1867, married C. W. Staniford, of New York, engineer-in-chief of the docks and ferries in that city. 6. Min- nie (twin), born December 6, 1868, married E. O. Hostetler, merchant tailor. 7. Lillie (twin), born December 6, 1868, died in infancy. 8. Susan, born January 13, 1873, married C. A. Walker, attorney-at-law, Somerset, Pennsylvania. 9. Foy, born December 26, 1878, died at the age of five years.
REV. DANIEL H. WALKER.
The family of which Rev. Daniel H. Walker, of Somerset, pastor of the German Baptist Brethren church, is a representa- tive, was founded in Somerset county, Pennsylvania, by his great-grandfather, Walker, who came from Witten- berg, Germany, about the year 1777. His son, Peter Walker (grandfather), was born near Pine Hill, Somerset county, Penn- sylvania, and followed farming as a means of livelihood. His son, Daniel P. W. Walker (father), was born in Berlin, Som- erset county, Pennsylvania, was a farmer, teacher and preacher, married Elizabeth Horner, and their children were as follows: Sarah, Dinah, Rebecca, Cyrus H., Carlotta, William H., Eliza- beth and Daniel H. Walker.
Daniel H. Walker was born in Stony Creek township, Som- erset county, Pennsylvania, July 5, 1850. His early studies were pursued in the common schools adjacent to his home, and the knowledge thus obtained was supplemented by attendance at the Berlin Normal School. He first turned his attention to the vocation of teaching, filling this position for five terms,
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after which he engaged in farming and stock raising, continu- ing the same up to the present time. He also serves in the capacity of minister of the German Baptist Brethren church, and throughout the community is highly honored and respected by all who have the honor of his acquaintance. He has charge of the Brothers Valley congregation, consisting of about two hundred and seventy-five members.
Rev. Mr. Walker married, December 10, 1868, Mary A. Knepper, born June 9, 1850, died June 15, 1883, daughter of Lewis J. and Magdalene Knepper. Their children are as fol- lows: William P., superintendent of a telephone company in Cedar Falls, Iowa; he married Sophia Graff and they are the parents of two children, Edna and John D. Miller L., married Kate Walker; issue, Harold and Pauline. Ira D., unmarried, serves as cashier of the Berlin Bank. Galen K., unmarried, principal of the Berlin high school. On July 3, 1884, Mr. Walker married for his second wife Ella R. Knepper, born March 12, 1840, near Berlin, Pennsylvania, daughter of Lewis J. and Magdalene Knepper. Their children are as follows: Dillie V., wife of Mahlon S. Reiman and mother of two children, Ralph and Ruth. Clara E., wife of Norman Miller, resides at Mt. Morris, Illinois. Emma E., wife of George S. Reiman and mother of one child, Gay. Myrl J., resides at home and fol- lows farming. Mary, Charlotte, Alma and April May, all of whom reside at home.
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