History of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Part 116

Author: Bell, Herbert C. (Herbert Charles), 1868- ed; John, J. J., 1829-
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: Chicago, Brown, Runk
Number of Pages: 1424

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FARNSWORTH REED, farmer, was born in Rush township, Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, December 17, 1824, son of Matthias and Priscilla

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HISTORY OF NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY.

(Farnsworth) Reed. His father was born in 1790 in Shamokin township, where his father had settled, and where he lived and died. After his mar- riage he located in Rush township, but in 1833 moved back to Shamokin township. He was a Whig in politics, and a deacon in the Baptist church for many years. He died in Shamokin township in 1859, and his wife in 1857. They reared seven children, all deceased except Farnsworth and Sarah, Mrs. William Depew, of Riverside. The subject of our sketch attended the schools of Rush and Shamokin townships. In 1843 he married Rosanna, daughter of David Miller, of Shamokin township, and has since resided in Shamokin, Augusta, and Point townships, settling on his present farm in the spring of 1866. His family consists of nine children: S. O., of Sunbury; Maria Elizabeth, Mrs. Charles P. Seasholtz, of Northumberland; Clarissa A., Mrs. George W. Vandevender, of Snyder county; Jacob A., a merchant of Winfield, Pennsylvania; Sarah L., Mrs. Thomas J. Vandelbing, of Packer's island; Laura D., Mrs. Charles M. Park, of Kingston, Pennsyl- vania; Harriet I., Mrs. James B. Lesher, of Nebraska; Elmer E., of Point township, and George M., of Iowa. Mr. Reed is an active member of the Republican party, and has served in various township offices. He is a dea- con in the Baptist church of Northumberland.

GEORGE M. DITZLER, farmer, was born in Turbut township, Northumber- land county, Pennsylvania, January 5, 1849, son of Jacob and Sarah (Over- peck) Ditzler. He was educated in the public schools and learned the trade of tinsmith, which occupation he followed for ten years and has since been farming. In 1874 he was married to Isadore M., daughter of Stephen Bittenbender, one of the early settlers of Shamokin, by whom he has one child, William. He is a member of the Masonic lodge of Northumberland, the chapter of Danville, and also of the Danville commandery. He is a Republican, and a member of the Lutheran church. He settled upon his present farm in 1875 and is bringing it to a high state of cultivation.

HARRISON C. KASE, farmer, was born in Rush township, Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, April 29, 1844. His father, Charles Kase, was also born in Rush township: His grandfather, John Kase, was a native of England, who came to America as a young man, married Eleanor Dewitt, a native of New Jersey, and was among the early settlers of Rush township. He and his wife were members of the Presbyterian church for many years. They retired from farming and moved to Elysburg, where both died. They reared eight children, four of whom are living: Charles, of Riverside; Cath- arine, Mrs. George West, of Danville; Clinton, a farmer of Montour county, and James, of Danville. Charles Kase, the father of our subject, was engaged in farming in Rush township until he retired and moved to Riverside, where he now resides. He is a stockholder in the Danville Bridge Company, Mt. Carmel Bank, and Danville nail factory. His wife died, August 25, 1886. They reared four children; Oscar S., of Riverside; Harrison C .;

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Hannah Ellen, deceased, and John Wilson. The subject of this sketch was reared in Rush township and educated in the township schools and Danville Academy. In 1863 he went as a substitute for his father in Company H, One Hundred and Seventy-second Pennsylvania Volunteers, and served nine months, when he re-enlisted in Company A, Sixteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, and served one year; since then he has been engaged in farming. February 2, 1870, he married Maranda Ellen, daughter of Robert and Bethiah (Bang- hart) Davidison, natives of New Jersey and settlers of Montour county, by whom he has three children: Cora May; Eleanor Gertrude, and Bertha Ellen M. Politically Mr. Kase is a Republican, and has served in the various township offices; he is a member of Goodrich Post, G. A. R., and of the Presbyterian church of Danville.

ROBERT CURRY McWILLIAMS, farmer, was born in Mooresburg, Montour county, Pennsylvania, February 20, 1845, son of John and Margaret (Cald- well) McWilliams, of the same county, and of Scotch-Irish extraction. He received his education at the public schools, and at academies at Millville, Pennsylvania, and Newark, New Jersey. His business career has been prin- cipally that of a farmer, and he came to this county in 1872. In October, 1876, he married Louisa V. Reighard, daughter of Dr. Jacob Reighard, of Juniata county, this State. To this union have been born six children: Margaret Caldwell; Lucinda Wagner; Amanda Belle; Jenette June; Rob- ert Curry, and Mary E. Mr. McWilliams has always been an active worker in the Democratic party; in the winter of 1883-84 he represented Northum- berland county in the State legislature, and was a member of the committees on military, election, federal relations, and banking. He has also filled various township offices. He is a member of Eureka Lodge, No. 404, F. & A. M., a charter member of Warrior Run Chapter, No. 246, and a member of the S. P. K. of Northumberland. He is a deacon and elder in the Pres- byterian church of Northumberland.

HENRY WATTS, farmer, was born at his present homestead, October 11, 1817. His father, John Watts, was a native of England, who immigrated to America in 1801 and settled upon the farm on which our subject now resides in 1802. He married in this country, Sarah Hales, also a native of England. He was a Whig in politics, and his wife was a member of the Baptist church. He died in 1830, and his widow in 1854. They reared three children: Henry; John, and William, of Des Moines, Iowa. The subject of this sketch was reared and educated in Point township, and has always lived upon his present farm. In 1847 he married Lydia Ann, daughter of Peter and Margaret (Giest) Dentler, of Point township. They have no children. Mr. Watts is an active Republican, and has served on the election board twenty-five years, as assessor of the township eight years, and as school director a number of terms. Mr. and Mrs. Watts are members of the Bap- tist church of Northumberland.

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HISTORY OF NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY.

H. W. BURG, physician and surgeon, was born in Lower Windsor, York county, Pennsylvania, May 10, 1852. He received his literary education at New Berlin, Union county, the Williamsport Seminary, and at a commercial college. He read medicine with Dr. S. W. Burg, of New Berlin, attended lectures at the Jefferson Medical College, from which he graduated in 1877, and has since practiced his profession in Northumberland. In 1875 he mar- ried Cora H., daughter of A. C. Simpson, attorney at law, of Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, by whom he has three living children: Edwin; Stoddard, and Dorothy. A daughter, Mary Blanch, was born, December 23, 1882, and died on the 13th of October, 1885. The Doctor is a Democrat in politics, has served as burgess and assessor of Northumberland, and is a member of the Sunbury Medical Association. His wife is a member of the Episcopal church. His father, Philip William Burg, was a native of Amsterdam, Holland, came to America when a young man, and settled in York county. He married Mary A. Eckert, a native of Northumberland, and lived in York county until 1855, when he died, and his wife and two sons removed to Northumberland in the same year. They had two children: H. W., and Somers, a machinist of Danville.

CHAPTER XLVIII.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

TURBUT AND CHILLISQUAQUE TOWNSHIPS.

MICHAEL FOLLMER, born in Germany in 1723, was the father of six sons and three daughters, and died in 1793, aged seventy years and three days. He and his sons donated the site of the Follmer Lutheran church, and a farm of eighty acres to the congregation, and, with his wife, he was buried in this church yard. He left a tract of land near Milton to his sixth son, Henry Follmer, an active member of the church, who married Susan Stohl, by whom he had five children: Philip; Andrew; Thomas; Maria, and Elizabeth. He died in 1822, aged fifty-four years and nineteen days, and his widow died in 1861, aged eighty-nine years, eleven months, and nineteen days. Andrew Follmer, the second son of Henry Follmer, inherited sixty-eight acres of land, upon which he reared two sons, Henry P. and Reuben T .; the latter is dead. He obtained a common school education, and was an elder of the Reformed church at the time of his death, March 29, 1862, aged sixty-six years and five months. His widow, whose maiden name was Mary Pool, a native of Mercer county, Pennsylvania, died in 1863, aged sixty-seven years. ,

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HENRY P. FOLLMER, farmer and gardener, whose ancestry can be traced back nearly two centuries, was born where he now resides, December 28, 1819, and is a son of Andrew and Mary (Pool) Follmer. He received a lib- eral education in the schools of that period; after the death of his father he purchased the farm where the former was born, and is consequently of the fourth generation to possess that valuable property. On the 22d of Feb- ruary, 1887, he and his sons established a green grocery at Milton. In 1849 he married Mary Jane, daughter of Elijah Crawford, of Northumberland county, and they are the parents of eight children: Alfred C., of Clearfield county; Sarah, wife of Jesse Server, of Milton; Lewis L., who married Cora, daughter of Anthony Barber, of Lewis township; Harvey W., of Milton, who married Alma, daughter of Thomas Foresman, of Union county; Andrew; Eliza; Eleanor C., and Edward. Elijah Crawford, father of Mrs. Follmer, was born in Montour county in 1796. His father, Jacob Crawford, was also a native of that county. Elijah Crawford married Eleanor Voris; about 1827 he moved to Packer's island and remained until 1829, when he removed to Delaware township. He was a farmer by occupation, a member of the Presbyterian church, and a soldier in the war of 1812. He died in 1868, and his widow in 1883. They reared nine children; those living are: Pris- cilla, Mrs. Daniel Blue; Sarah, Mrs John Good; Mary J., Mrs. Follmer, and Thomas, of Turbut township. Mr. Follmer is a Republican, and has served as school director; he was jury commissioner for three years, and has filled various township offices. He and his family are members of the German Reformed church, of which he is an elder.

WILLIAM FOLLMER, deceased, was born in Turbut township, Northumber- land county, Pennsylvania, January 24, 1810. He married Eleanor Mc- Williams, daughter of John Mc Williams, and followed farming in, Turbut township. He was a Democrat and served one term in the State legislature; he was also justice of the peace for a number of years and president of the Danville Mutual Fire Insurance Company. He was a member of Milton Lodge, F. & A. M., and of the Lutheran church. He was also a stockholder of the Buffalo Milling Company of Lewisburg. He died in 1888, and his wife on the 27th of December, 1876. Twelve children were born to their union, four of whom are living: Margaret, wife of David Ott, of Turbut town- ship; Hannah; John, and Francis M. The last named was born on the farm where he now resides, February 16, 1867. He received his education in the public schools and Bloomsburg State Normal School.

DANIEL H. FOLLMER, farmer, was born in Turbut township, Northumber- land county, Pennsylvania, August 19, 1843, son of Daniel and Sarah (Lantz) Follmer. He received his education at the public schools and Milton Academy, and has always been engaged in farming. In 1869 he married Rebecca C., daughter of Elias Schaffer, a native of Berks county, Pennsylvania, and an early settler of Turbut township. By this

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HISTORY OF NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY.

union they have two children: Rollin Sydney and Bertha Gertrude. Mr. Follmer is a Democrat in politics, and filled the office of township auditor two years. He and his family are members of the Follmer Lutheran church, and he formerly served as deacon of the same.

THE MCKNIGHT FAMILY .- The name of William McKnight, or rather one phonetically the same, appears upon the records as one of those who made application for three hundred acres of land on April 3, 1769, the first day of the opening of the land office. As preference was given those who had rendered military service, this would indicate presence in the valley for some time previous to this date. In 1774, while a resident of Buffalo township, then a part of this county, he purchased three tracts of land, "contiguous to and bounded on each other," in Turbut township, about four miles east of Milton, along the Limestone run. One tract was called " Trout Spring;" the second, the "Limestone Quarry," and the third, " McKnight's Addition." The first tract, of over three hundred acres, was taken up at the opening of the land office by Christian Rora, who, on September 1st of the same year, sold his claim to John Lowdon. Lowdon had his claim con- firmed by a patent in 1774, and, in less than a month after the survey and granting of the patent, he sold the tract to McKnight for three hundred twenty-one pounds, English money. Nine years later McKnight sold two hundred acres to John Follmer, "to be taken off the eastward ends of the before described three tracts." Family tradition records that an old soldier who owned the property now called the John McCormick homestead offered it to McKnight for a rifle and an overcoat. In 1776, at the breaking out of the Revolutionary war, he was one of the Committee of Safety for this county. At the Trout Spring he had a log hut filled with portholes, and often he had to leave this fort and go to the neighboring Limestone ridge, where he would spend the night sleeping with his rifle by his side. Both he and his wife, Elizabeth, finally perished at the hands of the Indians, being scalped by them near Fort Freeland. Their only son had to take charge of their remains and bury them himself. They are interred in the Chillisquaque graveyard. They had a family of one son and three daughters.

JAMES McKNIGHT, their son, was married to Elizabeth Gillen. He was regarded as a man of the greatest courage and integrity. In 1778 he was elected a member of Assembly, and while the incumbent of this position was captured by the Indians, but his life was spared. He had a family of five children, two sons and three daughters. All the children, but William, left this county, and settled in Seneca and Ontario counties, New York, where their descendants still reside. William McKnight married Susanna Boyer, and had a family of four daughters: Catharine, who became Mrs. Thomas Ritter; Priscilla, who married Isaac Dunkel; Annie M., who married Charles Artman, and Elizabeth, who died young. Mrs. Artman is the only surviving member of the family. Her family and that of Thomas Ritter still live on part of the land purchased in 1774.

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JOHN ESCHBACH was born in Germany, December 15, 1747, immigrated to America, and settled in that part of Northampton county which is now Lehigh county. He married Catharine Bush, who was born in Germany in 1749. Their immediate descendants were John; Anthony; Valentine; Philip; Solomon; Elizabeth; Susanna; Savilla; Mary, and Catharine.

ANTHONY ESCHBACH learned the blacksmith trade, which occupation he followed. He was married in Northampton county, Pennsylvania, to Barbara Romig, and their children were: Jonathan; David; Jacob; John; Anthony; Catharine; Sarah, and Elizabeth B. In the fall of 1804 Anthony, Jr., and his father traveled on horseback from Lehigh to Northumberland county, and together purchased a tract of three hundred forty-seven acres of land in Turbut township for twenty-six dollars fifty cents per acre. In the spring of 1805 they moved their families over the mountains and settled upon the same, building a log house sixteen by twenty feet, one story high. They were one of the early families of the county, and endured the privations and hardships of the pioneer. The only child living of Anthony, Jr., is Eliza- beth, Mrs. Balliet, of Lockport, New York. Anthony Eschbach was one of the early members of the Paradise Reformed church, helped to organize the same, and served as elder for many years.

DAVID ESCHBACH was born in Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, in 1802, son of Anthony, and removed with him to Turbut township in 1805. He ac- quired his education at the schools of the township. In 1824 he married Elizabeth Rishel, of Chillisquaque township, who died in 1844. Their chil- dren were: David, deceased; Edward, of Frederick City, Maryland; Clarissa, wife of Benjamin Shaffer, of Kansas, and Elizabeth, wife of William S. Klapp, of Milton. He was again married, in September, 1845, to Sarah, daughter of Philip Eschbach, by whom he had the following children: Seth, a merchant of Milton; I. A., of Turbut township; Henry Clay, a physician of Iowa, and Daniel Elmer, a real estate agent of Des Moines, Iowa. Mr. Eschbach became one of the prominent farmers of the township, and was also an extensive lumber manufacturer. He was a member of the Paradise Reformed church, in which he served as elder many years and until his death. Politically he was a Republican, and filled the office of school director a number of terms. He was one of the directors of the Lewisburg Bank, and later a director in the Milton National Bank, which office he held at the time of his death. He died in February, 1879; his wife survives him, and lives near the homestead farm.

ISAIAH A. ESCHBACH was born on his present farm in Turbut township, May 19, 1854. He received his education in the township schools, and has always followed farming. In December, 1875, he married Alcesta, daughter of William Balliett, by whom he has three children: Ralph David; Paul Balliett, and William Josiah. He is an active member of the Republican party, and now holds the office of school director. He and his family are

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HISTORY OF NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY.

members of the Paradise Reformed church, in which he is deacon and secretary of the consistory. He is a stockholder in the Milton Creamery Company, a member of Turbut Grange, P. of H., and present secretary of the latter.

JACOB HOTTENSTEIN was one of three brothers who immigrated to America at an early day. The family had its origin in Germany, the name being originally Von Hottenstein. One of these brothers died in Philadelphia; another settled in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, where some of his poster- ity are living, and Jacob, the third one, located in Berks county, Pennsyl- vania, about the year 1727 and is the ancestor of a large number of descend- ants yet living. In 1729 he removed to Maxatawny township, in that county, where he purchased one hundred sixteen acres of land for forty pounds and twelve shillings, which property is now owned by a descendant, Dr. Edward Hottenstein. Jacob married Dorothy Reber, and to this union were born four sons and two daughters: Jacob; William; David; Henry; Dorothy, and Maria. He died, March 23, 1753, at the age of fifty-six years.

HENRY HOTTENSTEIN, son of William Hottenstein, and grandson of Jacob Hottenstein, purchased a farm in Ontelaunee township, Berks county, Pennsylvania, where he resided thereafter, becoming one of the prominent farmers of the county. He was independent in his political proclivities and served one term of three years as commissioner of Berks county. He married Catharine Spohn, and to them were born nine sons and four daugh- ters, all of whom are dead except Esther and Charles. He died in 1844, and his wife in 1839.

CHARLES HOTTENSTEIN, farmer, was born in Berks county, Pennsylvania, May 25, 1811, son of Henry and Catharine (Spohn) Hottenstein. He was educated in the common schools and an academy at Reading, and was the second German in Ontelaunee township who was considered competent to teach in the common schools, which occupation he followed during winter seasons for about twelve years. He has also been a practical surveyor. He married Veronica Kauffman, removed to Montour county, Pennsylvania, in 1840, and in 1845 he came to Northumberland county and located on the farm where he now resides in Turbut township. While in his native county he was elected township auditor, which he resigned to accept the position of clerk of the county poorhouse for a term of one year. In 1855 he was elected commissioner of Northumberland county, and after serving for three years he was elected to the Pennsylvania legislature; he subsequently served as county auditor. He was elected a justice of the peace in 1854 and has served continuously ever since. During the war he was treasurer of the bounty fund and handled about thirty thousand dollars without being re- quired to furnish bond. He has always been an ardent Democrat, and in 1860 was chosen a delegate to the national Democratic convention to nominate candidates for President and vice-president of the United States, held in Charles-

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

ton, South Carolina, and which adjourned to meet subsequently in Baltimore, Maryland, which resulted in the selection of Douglas and Breckenridge; he at- tended both of these conventions but did not vote. His wife died in 1877 and he was subsequently married to Caroline Susan Elwell, of Orleans county, New York. There were born to his first marriage twelve children: Allen S., an attorney of Milton; Henry and Daniel, both of Turbut township; Mary, wife of Harry Hafer, of Union county, Pennsylvania; Sarah, wife of Jacob K. Stahl, of Union county (she was graduated from the Keystone State Normal School at Kutztown, Pennsylvania, and taught four years in Scranton, this State); Susan, wife of Thomas O. Long, of Williamsport; Clara, wife of Daniel F. Raup, of Turbut township; Abram C., who was graduated in the class of 1882 from Franklin and Marshall College at Lancaster, Pennsyl- vania, and now resides in North Carolina; William, who lives in Turbut township, and three who died in infancy. Mr. Hottenstein is a member of Paradise Reformed church, in which he has served as trustee, deacon, and treasurer.

DANIEL HOTTENSTEIN, farmer, was born in Turbut township, Northumber- land county, Pennsylvania, November 1, 1846. He received an academic education at Limestoneville, Montour county, and followed teaching ten terms. He was married in 1871 to Sarah Ellen Horlocher, a native of Le- high county, Pennsylvania, and daughter of M. Horlocher, who came to Tur- but township with his parents when five years old, in 1813. Mr. Hottenstein is the father of five children: Edna; Mary V .; Charles H .; Sarah E., and Aaron C. He is a Democrat and has served six years as school director. He belongs to Turbut Grange, P. of H., and is a member and deacon of the Par- adise Reformed church.

JACOB HOFFA was born, May 20, 1800, in Berks county, Pennsylvania, and removed to Northumberland county between 1817 and 1820; he learned the carpenter trade and followed the same for many years. In 1832 he began farming, at which he continued successfully until his death, May 15, 1882. His business career was a remarkably successful one, and he won the esteem of all with whom he had dealings. He married Ragina Follmer, who was born, June 23, 1804, and was a daughter of John and Elizabeth (Bower) Follmer. She died, August 26, 1867. To this union were born seven chil -. dren, five of whom are living: John; Samuel F .; Cyrus; Sarah, who mar- ried John Shalter, and Reuben. Mr. and Mrs. Hoffa were leading members of the Lutheran church, in which Mr. Hoffa was deacon, elder, trustee and Sunday school superintendent for many years. In politics he was a Demo- crat.

JOHN HOFFA, farmer, was born, May 3, 1826, son of Jacob and Ragina (Follmer) Hoffa. He received a common school education and has devoted his active life principally to agricultural pursuits. He located on his present farm in 1865. In 1886 he was elected a member of the State Board of Agri-

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HISTORY OF NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY.

culture and re-elected in 1889. He is a member of Turbut Grange, No. 349, P. of H., lecturer for the same, and also for Pomona Lodge, No. 31, composed of Montour and Northumberland counties. He served one term as auditor of Northumberland county, and has been school director and overseer of the poor of Turbut township. He is a member of the Lutheran church, and has held official positions in that denomination. In his political affiliations he is with the Democratic party. His children are named as follows: Catharine, wife of J. D. Smith, of Kansas; Jacob P., a physician at Washingtonville, Pennsylvania; Daniel H .; John F .; William F .; Cora, who married Ham Maginness, of Allenwood, Pennsylvania, and Cyrus.

DAVID IRELAND, deceased, immigrated from Scotland to Northumberland county and purchased over one thousand acres of land in Turbut township; he settled thereon and was subsequently forced to take refuge with his wife at Sunbury during the Indian incursions. While there David Ireland, Jr., was born to them. The senior David Ireland spent much time in trying to invent a device of perpetual motion. His son, David, Jr., was a member of the early militia companies; he married Sarah Teitsworth, and to them were born three children: David; Sarah, and Eliza. He was a Presbyterian and a member of the Chillisquaque Presbyterian church. His son David was born in Turbut township in 1807, and in April, 1843, married Martha H. Hoyer.

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History of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Part 116

Author: Bell, Herbert C. (Herbert Charles), 1868- ed; John, J. J., 1829- Publication date: 1891 Publisher: Chicago, Brown, Runk Number of Pages: 1424

Author: Bell, Herbert C. (Herbert Charles), 1868- ed; John, J. J., 1829-
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: Chicago, Brown, Runk
Number of Pages: 1424