History of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 119

Author: Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Evans, Samuel, 1823-1908, joint author
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1320

USA > Pennsylvania > Lancaster County > History of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 119

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B. B. Herr's is another very old mill, located in the extreme northeastern part of Strasburg township. It is propelled by Pequea Creek. The records are diffi- cult of access, and no definite account can be given concerning it. The original mill is still standing, and must be at least one hundred and twenty-five years old. About the beginning of the present cen- tury the present mill was built a few rods below the old one. The premises have been in the Herr family for at least one hundred and twenty-five years, and there is not much doubt that the mills were both built by them.

C. W. Shultz's mill, on Big Beaver Creek, about one-half mile west of Martinsville, was built about the year 1790 by John Barr. Ile was succeeded after many years by Benjamin Barr, who was succeeded by Christian Shultz, who died in 1876, when it passed into the hands of Christian W. Shultz, its present owner. From the first it has been operated by its owners, and never on lease. It is both a merchant and custom mill ; is three-story, built of stone to the square, the top is wood. It was entirely rebuilt and remodeled in 1881. Its power is Big Beaver Creek, ou two overshot-wheels.

Hawthorn's mill was built about the beginning of the present century, near the head-waters of the south branch of Little Beaver. It is three-story, built of stone. It was rarely operated by its owners, but nearly always on lease. It has since been owned by B. B. Gouder and Thomas E. Franklin, Esq., its present owner. It has two ruus of stones, one for flour, and one pair of choppers.

structure, with its power furnished by Pequea Creek | the property was conveyed to its present owner,

Trout's mill, formerly Neff's, was built in the early part of the present century by John Neff, who was after some years succeeded by his son, John Neff, who emigrated and joined the Mormons near the close of the first half of the present century. In 1872 Henry F. Trout. The mill is a two-story stone and frame structure, with one pair of burrs and one pair of choppers, propelled by a branch of Little Beatver Creek, upon an overshot-wheel.

The churches are all provided with burying- grounds, which are well preserved.

Branches of Industry .- B. D. Moyer's mill was erected between 1759 and 1769, the exact year ean- not be ascertained. The land was originally patented to Jacob Miller, June 30, 1711. Joseph Haines sold it to John Herr, June 28, 1759, at which time there was only a saw-mill on the ground. On April 6, 1769, John Herr and wife conveyed to their son, Abraham Herr, the mill and saw-mill. He held it until the time of his death, in 1800, when it came into the hands. of his son John, who died in 1822, while the mill was being rebuilt, and it descended to his son Samuel, his only heir. Ile held it until 1836, and died without issue, leaving a widow, Fanny, who held the property until 1839, when she married Henry Herr. On Feb. 10, 1845, Heury Herr and wife con- veyed it to Henry Miller, who the same day recon- veyed it to Henry Herr. On March 30, 1860, Ilenry Herr and wife conveyed it to Daniel K. Herr, who on April 1, 1874, conveyed it to B. D. Moyer, its present owner, Its machinery is driven by two improved turbine-wheels, running four pair of French burrs, two for flour and two for chopping, and it has all the most improved machinery for a general merchant business.

Emanuel Neff's mill is situated on Pequea Creek, immediately below Moyer's. It is a three-story stone and a twenty horse power engine. It was built in ; 1797 by Wendal Bowman, who failed, and the prop- erty was sold. In 1820. it came into the posses- sion of Christian Braekbill, in whose name it was

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STRASBURG TOWNSHIP.

At the east end of the borough, just outside the borough limits, are two large leaf tobacco establish- ments, one owned by A. J. Groff and E. C. Mussel- man, trading as Groff & Musselman, and the other by Philip Lebzelter. They are both large two-story brick building-, and a large amount of leaf tobacco is annually packed therein.

About midway between New Providence and Mar- tinsville are quite extensive coach-works, carried on by the Baldwin Brothers. A little farther south, on the same road, was, until a few years ago, a large tannery, owned and carried on by Philip Miller. The busi- ness was a few years ago discontinued, and the vats have been torn up.

The leading publie men of the township are Daniel Herr (Pequea), who was born about 1815, in West Lampeter township. His father was the Rev. Chris- tian Herr. He married Ann C., daughter of Henry Breneman, late of Strasburg township, deceased. Ile served for many years as school director, and always took great interest in the advancement of the schools of the township. In 1856 he was elected to the office of county treasorer. About 1867 he was elected one of the directors of the poor. He is also a director of the Northern Mutual Fire Insurance Company, and also of the Lancaster County Mutual Hail Insurance Company. Ile has always been a leader in new enterprises, most of which were successful, while a few failed. The poor and deserving around him always found his hand and purse ready to help when help was needed and deserved. John F. Herr was born about the year 1820. Ile has always been a prominent public man. ITis father was John Herr, who was the founder of the New Mennonite Church, an offshoot of the Mennonite Church, the germ of | which was planted here in 1709. He was educated in private schools and at the old Strasburg Academy.

he has since given his closest attention. His wife was Martha Musser, daughter of Dr. Martin Musser, by whom he has three sons and two daughters.

Daniel Helm, another representative man of Stras- burg township, was born in the year 1810. He dili- gently availed himself of such means of education as the very rudimentary schools of his early days afforded. He served in almost every office which the citizens of the township could give, commencing with road supervisor. For many years he was as- sessor, and from our own youngest days at school, now about thirty-five years ago, we remember of Mr. Helm visiting the schools as director, and he has served almost continuously since. He always had a kind word for the boys and girls and the teacher, and no one was more welcome as school visitor than he. He has been twice married, and has reared a large and more than ordinarily intelligent family, two of whom are merchants, one a doctor, and sev- eral teachers.

From his boyhood he has been a member of Zion's Reformed Church at New Providence for many years past, standing in close relation to the pastor, and has succeeded in drawing nearly his entire family into the church.

The leading farmers of the township are the Bach- mans, Brenemans, Books, Bishops, E-hlemans, Eck- mans, Esbenshades, Groff's, Herrs, Hoovers, Hos- tetters, Leamans, Mellingers, Lefevers, Shanbachs, Tangers, and with soil and facilities as are here at hand, there is no reason why Strasburg township should not lead her sister townships in almost every- thing that inure, to the benefit and happiness of mankind.

From his earliest days be was an apt student, ; ship. When he erected his first perpetual or draw-

eagerly devouring everything literary which came into his possession, and he is to-day one of the best- , in distrust, and feared that it would financially injure read Scripture students in the county, excepting col- lege-bred students of theology, and he has repeatedly crossed swords with those, and not unfrequently to their discomfiture. Ile served for a number of years on the school board of Strasburg township, and the common schools have always found in him a strong advocate and a firm friend. He was elected to the Legislature in 1854, and served one term. For a period of about twenty years he was at the head of the management of the Strasburg Railroad, and would doubtless be there yet but for the destructive conflagration of Jan. 16, 1871, which destroyed their depot, grist, and merchant-mill, planing-mill, and machine-shop, destroying in one night upwards of fifty thousand dollars' worth of property, from which loss the firm never recovered.

About the year 1855 Daniel Herr ( Pequea) com- menced the burning of white lime or building lime on his premises in the southwestern part of the town- kiln a great many of his neighbors shook their heads "Pequea Dan," as he was familiarly known in this part of the county. But he knew that there were im- mense deposits of white limestone lying useless on his lands, and also that there would be a ready sale for all he could burn at remunerative prices. His first effort was not a snecess, as the wiseacres knew it wouldn't be; but after making some changes in his kilns they proved all right, and he commenced turn- ing ont an article of very superior quality for build- ing purposes, and Herr's Pequea lime soon came to be almost a household word throughout the county, and even from beyond the border, of the State came teams for it. Soon his success was envied by others, who commeneed burning an inferior article of Pequea Jime, being, of course, obliged to drop the distinguish- ing name of Herr's. In 1861 he transferred the enter- prise to his son, Enos B. Herr, who carried it on sue- cessfully until the time of his death, in 1869. Ile

When, in 1875, the Strasburg Railroad and the shops were sold, he retired to his farm, about one mile north of Strasburg, to the cultivation of which | was succeeded by his brother, R. D. Herr, who con-

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HISTORY OF LANCASTER COUNTY.

tinued the business until 1872 or 1873, when he trans- ; (born Oct. 25, 1772, died April 13, 1857), daughter of ferred it to B. F. Herr, who conducts it at the present day'in a set of kilns erected on the farm of Andrew llerr, near the old stand.

Mines .- There are in the township four iron ore mines, the oldest being what is generally known as Eby's, about two and one-half miles south of Stras- burg, which was worked in the early part of the present century, and was then abandoned. About the year 1862 or 1863 work was again commenced by the Phoenix Iron Company, who had leased it from the owner, Christian Eby. It was then worked for a period of about eight years, and was again abandoned, since which nothing has been done. The ore is of very superior quality, but is difficult to mine.

The next mine opened in the township was that of Daniel Herr (Pequea), adjoining the present town of Refton. It was opened about the year 1845, but was not extensively worked until about 1862 or 1863, when it was worked for several years rather exten- sively.

About the same time a mine was opened on the adjoining farm by Martin Pfoutz, and was worked for several years; since then neither of these mines have been operated. In 1879, Peacock & Thomas opened a mine on the farm of Daniel Hehn, about one-half mile northeast of Martinsville, and it has been suc- cessfully worked most of the time since, turning out a superior quality of ore which is hauled to New Providence on the Quarryville Railroad, whence it | is shipped to their furnace at Lancaster.

Justices of the Peace .- 1844, Isaac Girvin, Isaac Myers; 1849, Isaac Myers; 1854, Isaac Myers; 1860, Henry N. Breneman ; 1864, J. Witmer Fritz; 1865, Henry N. Breneman, Henry lloak ; 1867, J. H. Zer- cher ; 1869, Isaac L. Groff; 1870, Henry N. Brene- man ; 1875, Henry N. Breneman, David E. Mayer ; 1876, F. S. Hoak ; 1877. John Eckman, Samuel Mil- ler ; 1882, John Eckman, E. G. Book.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

HENRY NEFF BRENEMAN.

Dr. Benjamin Musser, and had children, -Elizabeth ( who married John Breneman, of Donegal township), John, Henry, Benjamin (born Nov. 15, 1797), Ann (born July 1, 180], married Rev. Benjamin Herr, . present bishop of the Old Mennonite Church, died April 28, 1872), and John (born April 8, 1810, mar- ried Maria Hess, December, 1839), the only one sur- viving.

Henry Breneman, father of our subject, was born on his father's homestead, in Strasburg township, on Jan. 25, 1795. On June 1, 1819, he married Eliza- beth, daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth ( Herr) Neff (born July 8, 1796, died Nov. 8, 1870), and in 1833 purchased of his father two hundred and three acres of land, including the present homestead of his son, where he spent his life in farming pursuits. He died May 10, 1859. The children were Ann C., wife of Daniel Herr ( Pequea), of Strasburg township ; Eliza- beth, deceased, wife of Henry Musser, of West Lam- peter ; Henry N .; and Susan, deceased, wife of Ama- ziah Ilerr, of Strasburg.

The Breneman family is of Swiss origin. Rev. Henry Breneman, a preacher in the Old Mennonite Church, and grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was born Sept. 8, 1764, and in 1792 removed from Manor township and purchased one hundred and forty seven acres of land from Henry Bowman, in ! Strasburg township, about three miles south of the Henry N. Breneman was born in his present resi- dence in Strasburg township, Jan. 13, 1830. ITe grew up on the paternal farm, attending the district schools of the neighborhood, and finished his educa- - tion at the Lititz Academy. When about twenty-one years of age he went to learn the milling business at the mill owned by his father at Camargo, Pa. (now borough. In 1795 he erected the barn which is still in use by our subject, and in 1803 built the residence also now occupied by him. He added one hundred and eighty acres of land to his original purchase, in cluding a portion of the farm now occupied by his son, John Breneman, and passed his days in farming, dying in October, 1847. He married Anna Musser . owned by C. W. Shultz), and remained there for five

Stand Buick

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STRASBURG TOWNSHIP.

years, also engaging in trade in the store of Henry H. Breneman & Co, at that point. On March 17, 1858, he married Anna M., daughter of Joseph and Eliza Potts, of Strasburg, and in the spring of 1859 began farming the homestead tract. A few months later his father died, and the farm passed into the possession of our subject at the appraisement valua- tion. He has continued to reside thereon since with the exception of one year, during which he lived in Strasburg, and was a member of the commission firm of Herr, Breneman & Co. In 1866 he erected a shop for the manufacture of agricultural implements near his residence, and has since been engaged in mechani- cal pursuits, for which he always had a natural taste. He has also done considerable work as a builder and millwright, and has cultivated hi- farm by proxy since 1866.

Mr. Breneman has always taken an active part in the politics of the county, and has held the leading offices of his township, such as assessor, member of the school board for twelve years, and justice of the peace for fifteen years. He was a warm supporter of the late war, and served for nine months in the field in 1862 as first lieutenant of Company G, One Hun- dred and Twenty-second Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers. Immediately after the battle of Gettys- burg he raised a company of three-months' men, which was attached to the Fiftieth Regiment of Peon- sylvania militia, and was known as Company B. With this company Mr. Breneman served in the field in defense of the State, holding the rank of captain. He was elected sheriff of Lancaster County in 1875, and served for three years in that office. He is recog- nized as one of the enterprising men of his township, and is held in general respect. Ilis children are Winona S., Park P. (attending lectures in the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania), Anna M., Joseph P., Lizzie M., Maud M., Herbert N., Jen- nie May, and E. Lida Breneman.

ISAAC GROFF.

The Groff family is of German origin. John Groff, the grandfather of the subject of this sketch, resided at an early day on the farm now owned by Francis Mylin, near the village of New Providence. He | has never touched a drop of spirituous or malt liquor, married and had a large family of children, among nor used tobacco in any form. Ile has not aspired to public office, although he served as a member of the Council of Strasburg borough for two years, His children have been Bolonius E. Groff, who is still living; Ilorace Washington, deceased; and Clara Eletta, who died in 1876, in the nineteenth year of whom were Henry, Simon, Isaac, Daniel, Joseph, Martin, Jacob, Michael, John, Susan (who married John Heckman), Elizabeth (who married Frederick Grall), and another daughter ( who married Martin Grall).

Isaac (1779-1849), father of our subject, was a , her age. mason by trade, but engaged in farming pursuits for the greater part of his life. He occupied the farm where Benjamin Fritz now lives, in Strasburg town- ship. For nearly forty years he engaged in the busi- ness of distilling. His wife was Elizabeth Eshleman (1785-1851), who bore him a family of thirteen chil-

dren, of whom eleven attained adult age, viz. : Susan, who married Benjamin Groff, of Providence town- ship; Abraham, deceased; Fanny, who married Abraham Groff, of the same township; Eliza, who became the wife of David Mowery, of Eden; Mi- chael, deceased ; Mary, who married Benjamin Fritz, of Strasburg township; Ann, who married William Ileagy, of Strasburg ; Isaac; Martha, who became the wife of Jacob Leaman, of Providence ; John, deceased ; and Lydia, who married Henry Lintner, of Millersville.

Of this large family of children Isaac Groff is the only surviving member. He was born March II, 1819, on his father's homestead, where he spent the earlier years of his life, enjoying only a common- school education. In 1850 he married Barbara M., daughter of Joseph and Hannah ( Martin ) Showalter, of Drumore township, and soon thereafter began farming the homestead on shares, and upon its sale subsequently, in settlement of his father's estate, he became its owner at the assessment valuation. This tract comprised one hundred and nine acres, and Mr. Groff lived upon and cultivated it for six years. He then traded it for the Green Tree Tavern, Strasburg township, with his brother-in-law, Benjamin Fritz. At that point he made large improvements, building the present brick hotel, the barn, and other outhouses, and remained for seventeen years. He then dispo-ed of the tavern, and farm of seventy-eight acres con- neeted with it, to Levi L. Brush. In 1874 he pur- chased of Michael Refton his home-place on the Strasburg turnpike, added other tracts to it, made great improvements, and resold the same to Mr. Refton for nearly three times the original cost in 1882. He then purchased other land and real estate in and around Strasburg borough, and is still actively engaged in successful business enterprises.

Mr. Groff is one of the most widely-known and popular farmers of Lancaster County, public spirited, progressive, liberal, and of strict integrity. He has engaged extensively in the purchase and sale of land and stock, especially horses, and is noted for his genial and uniformily happy temperament. Although his father was a distiller for nearly forty years, and he himself engaged in hotel-keeping for seventeen, he

SAMUEL L. DENNEY.

His father was Samuel Denney, a native of Chester County, Pa., where he was carefully reared in the family of Samuel Lewis, of Sadsbury township. Ile was a natural mechanie, and upon attaining his ma-

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HISTORY OF LANCASTER COUNTY.

jority located near Christiana, Lancaster Co., where ' Chestnut Street, connecting with the main road from be established a cabinet-shop and manufactured va- Newport turnpike to Noble's mill. He sold the foundry to Philip T. Boon in 1849, the car-shop to William Huyey, and to Moses Pownall and Joseph C. Dickin- son a lot for a store and warehouse. He established the railroad station, the post-office, and made a public- house of his dwelling. He may thus be said to have been the founder and projector of Christiana, rious useful articles for farming and domestic use. ' He died at that place in 1868, aged seventy-eight years, Ilis wife was Edith, daughter of John and Lydia Dubree, of Sadsbury township, Lancaster Co., by whom he had a family of thirteen children, viz. : Mifflin P. (deceased ), a well-known mechanic and designer of machinery in this country ; Lydia L., He married, March 20, 1851, Sarah, daughter of John and Margaret Linvill, of Salisbury township, who died April 20, 1873 The children are William, foreman of the machine department of the Lancaster Watch Company's Works; Harmer, a superior me- chanie, of New York City ; Margaret, wife of Harry K. MeClelland, of Minneapolis, Minn. ; Mifflin, who resides in New York ; Samuel L., Jr., in Philadel- phia ; Sarah ; Edith, wife of Charles Heston, Brook- lyn ; Thaddeus S., Alice, John, and Edward S. Denney. wife of Ephraim Romans, of Illinois; Sarah, who married Sylvester Williams, of Sadsbury; Samuel L .; Hannah, who married David Randolph, of Lea- coek township; Dewitt C., a machinist of ability in Philadelphia ; Margaret A. ; William, a railroad en- gineer, killed in the performance of duty on the Philadelphia and Erie Railroad; Joanna, married Ambrose Powell, of Sadsbury ; Rachel, who became the wife of David Bear, of Lancaster County ; John Q., in the iron business, Harrisburg and York, Pa .; Susan, who married, first, Richard Marshall, and is now the widow of William Miller; and Washington, a machinist, of Harrisburg. BENJAMIN BROWN MYERS.

Samuel L. Denney was born in Sadsbury township Nov. 3, 1820. He received only a common school education, and in early life learned the general prin- eiples of mechanics with his father. Soon after be- coming of age he carried on the machine business in a small way near Christiana, and remained there until July 20, 1846, when he purchased of William Noble twelve acres of land, including residence, foundry, and machine-shop, at Noble's Foundry (now Christiana), and removed there. This business bad been established in 1833, but was in a depressed con- dition when purchased by Mr. Denney. The latter immediately began the manufacture of machinery, and by January Ist following had erected a ear-shop in addition, taking in Edward Laminey as a partner, and employing sixteen men. The firm of Denney & Lammey continued together until the following spring, when Lammey took the foundry, and Denney the machine-shop -. Here he remained until 1851, when he purchased a farm and erected a machine- shop one .mile farther up the creek, and there re- mained until 1868. He then purchased a farm near the Quaker meeting-house, Sadsbury township, and in 1870 removed to the Gap, where he remained ten | sheriff of Lancaster County.

years attending to the manufacture and sale of his inventions on royalty. He then took the Valley Machine-Shops, about one mile southeast of Stra-burg borough, where he is now engaged in perfecting his inventions. Ile has taken out twenty patents on va- rious machines relating to agriculture and railroad affairs, and is now perfecting a combined horse-rake and hay-tedder. .

Benjamin Brown Myers was born in Strasburg township, on March 3, 1817. IFis grandfather, John Myers, emigrated from Switzerland during the latter half of the eighteenth century, and made a settlement in Eden township, in the locality in which the heirs of Jaenh Myers still live. There be passed the re- mainder of his days engaged in farming pursuits. His sons were Henry, John, Frederick, David, Ben- jamin (died young), and Jacob, all of whom settled in Eden township, where some of their descendants are still to be found.

John was the father of the subject of this sketch. He was a maker of posts and rail-fenees by trade, and followed that occupation during the greater por- tion of his life. Near its elose he purchased a small farm in Strasburg township. He married Barbara Brown, and had children as follows: Abraham, who resides in Strasburg township; John, in Drumore township; Elizabeth, widow of Benjamin Groif, of Strasburg ; Susan (deceased), who was the first wife of Joseph Groff, of Drumore township; Benjamin B .; Fanny, widow of Joseph Groff; Isaac, who lives in Colerain township; and Frederick (deceased), late

Benjamin B. Myers spent the earlier years of his life, until his majority, with his father, engaged in cutting posts, rails, and timber. He enjoyed but meagre educational opportunities.

At the age of twenty-two he entered upon the busi- ness of a post- and fence-rail-maker on his own ac- count, also engaging in quarrying stone, and doing any laborious and useful work that be found to do. until he attained the age of thirty-two, when he pur- chased the White Oak tavern, in the southern por- tion of Strasburg township, of Jacob Potts. Ile has continued to keep a public-house at that point ever

Nothing was known of the village of Christiana prior to Mr. Denney's location there in 1846. While at Noble's Foundry he bought four acres of land in the present heart of the town, for lots and houses for mechanies, and in connection with Noble laid out | since, being known far and wide as an affable and

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History of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 119

Author: Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Evans, Samuel, 1823-1908, joint author Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : Everts & Peck Number of Pages: 1320

Author: Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Evans, Samuel, 1823-1908, joint author
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1320