History of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Part 123

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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SAMUEL HAUPT, deceased farmer, was born in Rockefeller township in 1804, son of George Haupt, a native of Berks county, Pennsylvania, who settled in this county on the farm now occupied by his grandson, A. G. Haupt, in 1803. Samuel Haupt married Lydia Fasold, by whom he had eight children, all of whom are living: Louisa; A. G .; David; Francis R .; Samuel; John; William, and Henry. Mr. Haupt removed to Schuylkill county, this State, prior to his death, which occurred in 1882. He served in various minor offices, including that of councilman at Pottsville.

JACOB FAGLEY, miller, was born in Rockefeller township, Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, in 1815, and is a son of Conrad Fagley, a native of Germany, who immigrated to America and was employed as a laborer. Our subject purchased his present mill, known as the Fagley mill, in 1852, and has since been its owner. He was married in 1840 to Catharine Stagle, to which union have been born seven children: Louisa, wife of David Brosius, of Shamokin township; William; Peter; David; Simon; Mary, wife of Albert Jones, of Purdytown, and Isabella, wife of John Stetler. He and wife are members of the Reformed church, of which he has been deacon. In poli- tics he is a Democrat.

ANDREW GONSER, farmer, was born in Shamokin township, Northumber- land county, Pennsylvania, January 4, 1817, and is a son of Samuel and Catharine (Long) Gonser, natives of Schuylkill county, this State, who came to this county at an early date, settling in Shamokin township, where they subsequently lived and died. The father was a farmer and miller by occu- pation, an influential member of the Lutheran church, and an upright, hon- orable citizen. His children who survive are named as follows: George; Daniel; Jacob; Jesse, and Isaac, all of whom reside in Shamokin township; Hannah, wife of John Campbell, of Snydertown; Harriet, wife of Jeff Miller, of Lewisburg, and Andrew. The last named was married in 1844 to Eleanor Persing, daughter of William Persing, of Upper Augusta township, this

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county. He first located at Snydertown, where he farmed for his father eleven years. In 1855 he removed to his present farm, where he has since resided. Mr. and Mrs. Gonser are the parents of five children: Francis, of Rockefeller township; Samuel, of Shamokin township; Sarah Emma, wife of Morris Emerick, of Purdytown; William, of Upper Augusta township, and Landis, deceased. Mr. Gonser and wife are members of the Methodist Epis- copal church, and he is a Republican in politics.

AMOS REED, retired, was born in Little Mahanoy township, Northumber- land county, Pennsylvania, January 10, 1820, son of Leonard and Elizabeth (Dunkelberger) Reed. His father was a native of Berks county, this State, and came into this county at an early period with his parents, who settled along the banks of Plum creek in what is now Rockefeller township. He was a mason by trade and a consistent member of the Lutheran church. His children were six in number, three of whom are living: Solomon; Eliza- beth, wife of Abraham Shaeffer, and Amos. The last named was married in 1846 to Rebecca, daughter of Jonathan Fagely. She died in 1852 and was the mother of three children: Emanuel, of Iowa; Mary, wife of New- ton Furman, of Westport, and Maggie, wife of Andrew Wilson, of Rocke- feller township. Mr. Reed was again married, to Sarah Swinehart, by whom he has six children: Elizabeth, wife of Henry Dunkelberger, of Shamokin. township; Harriet, wife of Luther Ellis, of Westport; Charlotte, of Ne- braska; Jemima, wife of Henry Miller, of Rockefeller township; Coleman, of Iowa, and Ira, of Nebraska. His present wife was Susanna Trion, widow of Abraham Reitz. He is a member of the Lutheran church, of which he has served as elder and deacon. In politics he is a Republican.

HENRY BARTHOLOMEW, farmer, was born in Rockefeller township, North- umberland county, Pennsylvania, November 3, 1821, son of William and Susan Elizabeth (Wolfe) Bartholomew. His father was born in Berks county in 1797, came to this county with his parents when a young man, and settled upon Plum creek in Rockefeller township. Two children of the grandfather of our subject are still living: Catharine, wife of Jonathan Fausold, of Rockefeller township, and Julia Ann, wife of Jacob Bloom, of Rockefeller township. The father of Henry, after marriage, settled near Emanuel's church in this township, where he died in 1860. His wife sur- vived him many years. They were members of the Lutheran church. They reared thirteen children, nine of whom are living: Charles; Valentine; Joel, of Shamokin township; Harry H., of Kendall Creek, McKean county; Rev. Edward F., of Illinois; Henry; Mary, wife of William Taylor, of Shamo- kin township; Hettie, wife of Ambrose Taylor, of Shamokin township, and Ann Eliza, wife of Michael Smith, of Washington township. Mr. Bar- tholomew married in 1849 Mary Magdalene, daughter of John F. Shipe, a native of Bucks county and a settler of Rockefeller township, by whom he has six children: Elizabeth J., wife of Gaylon Bower, of Jordan township;

Solomon Marty

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John L., of Lower Augusta township; Rachel Annie, wife of Emanuel Gerringer, of Purdytown; David E., of Purdytown; Dennis Newton, and Norman Emerson. In 1862 Mr. Bartholomew enlisted in Company H, One Hundred and Seventy-second Pennsylvania Militia, and served nine months, - when he was honorably discharged. Politically he is a Democrat, and has filled the office of supervisor of the township; he is a member of the Lu- theran church and has served in the offices of deacon and elder many years. His wife is a member of the German Reformed church.

SAMUEL H. ZIMMERMAN, farmer, was born in Rockefeller township, North- umberland county, Pennsylvania, August 23, 1824, son of Daniel and Cath- arine (Hall) Zimmerman. He received an ordinary education, and was mar- ried in 1850 to Mary Bartholomew, daughter of Jacob Bartholomew, of Rush township, by whom he has four children: Melinda; Angeline; William, and Sarah. He is a Republican in politics and a member of the Lutheran church. His parents removed to this county at an early day and here died, the father in 1842 and the mother in 1858.

SAMUEL L. KEEFER, farmer, was born in what is now Rockefeller township, March 28, 1828, son of George and Rebecca (Lantz) Keefer. He was mar- ried in 1851 to Barbara, daughter of George Savidge, who died, leaving him two children: Peter and Amelia. He was again married, to Harriet Malick, daughter of W. Malick, by whom he has five children: Jennie; David F .; Charles M .; Otto, and Eva. He is a Democrat in politics, a member of the Reformed church, and belongs to the P. of H., of Seven Points.

H. M. RAKER, physician and surgeon, was born in Rockefeller township, Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, April 25, 1840. He received his education at the public schools and Freeburg Academy, after which he engaged as a clerk in a mercantile store for one year. After reading med- icine with his father and brother he attended lectures at Jefferson Medical College, from which he was graduated in 1862. He began practice at once where he is now located, and is recognized as the leading physician in his part of the county. He is a prominent Democrat, and has served as school director and assessor of Rockefeller township. In August, 1864, he was. married to Josephine Weaver, daughter of John Weaver, of Trevorton, by whom he has the following children: Agatha J., wife of J. H. Haupt, of Schuylkill county; Sarah Isabella; Carrie Elizabeth; Charles Hilton; Min- nie Maud; Warren Le Roy, and Gertrude Florence.

Jacob Raker, the grandfather of Dr. H. M. Raker, was one of the early settlers of Rockefeller township. He moved to Tioga county, Pennsylvania, where he died.

John Raker was born in Rockefeller township, and read medicine with Doctor Treon of Muncy, Pennsylvania. After remaining with his preceptor a few years he returned to his native township, where he practiced until his death. He filled various township offices, was a member of the Lutheran

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church, and died in 1875. four of his children are living: William, a physician of Uniontown, Dauphin county; Catharine, wife of A. S. Azariah Kriasger, of Middleburg, Pennsylvania; Dr. H. M., and Elizabeth.

WILLIAM B. EISTER was born in what is now Rockefeller township, (it be- ing then a part of Lower Augusta), Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, August 3, 1853, son of Nathan S. Eister, who was born in Washington town- ship. His father, Abraham Eister, moved from there to Rockefeller township, where he died. In his younger days he worked at blacksmithing, but was principally engaged at farming. Nathan S. Eister married Amanda, daugh- ter of William Bartholomew, and settled in Rockefeller township. He was a shoemaker by trade, and a member of the Lutheran church, in which he held the office of deacon and elder for many years. Politically he was a Demo- crat. He and wife died within five days of each other in 1882, of typhoid fever. They reared eleven children; those living are: William B .; Angeline, wife of Delos Roadarmel, of Excelsior; Henry M., of Shamokin; Charles A., of Rockefeller township; Flora, of Rockefeller township, and Clinton L., of Excelsior. William B. was reared in Rockefeller township, and attended the township schools and Elysburg Academy two terms, after which he taught school five years during the winters, in the meantime applying himself to study to better his education. He learned the shoemaker trade, and after finishing his teaching apprenticed himself to Gehrad Snyder, with whom he learned the trade of harness maker and saddler. After completing his trade he went to Excelsior and took charge of a section of the Philadelphia and Reading railroad as foreman, which position he held four years. After the death of his parents the management of the affairs of the family fell upon him, and he engaged in farming one year. In 1883 he purchased his present business, which he has since continued, having added a line of groceries, tobacco, and cigars. In 1877 he married Louisa, daughter of J. Jacob Beck, of Rocke- feller township, by whom he has five children: Elsie E .; A. Bertram; W. Howard; Edna V., and Mary E. Mr. Eister was appointed postmaster of Seven Points, September 15, 1885, and has since held that office. He was elected school director in 1886, serving as secretary and president of the board. In 1889 he was elected justice of the peace.

REV. A. J. L. BREINIG, pastor of the Lutheran church, Trevorton charge, was born in Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, April 25, 1860, son of Edwin L. and Catharine (Swartz) Breinig, natives of that county and farmers by occu- pation. Mr. Breinig was educated at Muhlenburg College, Allentown, Penn- sylvania, from which he was graduated in 1884. He then took a theological course of three years at the Lutheran Seminary in Phladelphia, was ordained as a minister of the Gospel in 1887, and in December of the same year was appointed to his present charge. In 1888 he married Annie S., daughter of Joseph Keefer, of Lehigh county, by whom he has one child, Joseph. Politically he is a Democrat.

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

DELMAR F. CAMPBELL, school teacher, was born in Lower Augusta town- ship, Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, February 13, 1864, son of John and Mary (Fuller) Campbell, of that township. He was educated in the public schools, and Milton and Georgetown normal schools, and for six years has been engaged in teaching, this being his third year in his present school. June 23, 1889, he married Tomson, daughter of Anthony S. Speece, of Little Mahanoy township. Politically Mr. Campbell is a Democrat; he is a mem- ber of the Presbyterian church, has served in the office of treasurer four years, and has also filled all the offices connected with the Sabbath school.

CHAPTER LI.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

SHAMOKIN, RALPHO, RUSH, AND GEARHART TOWNSHIPS, AND BOROUGHS OF SNYDERTOWN AND RIVERSIDE.

CASPER ADAMS, a native of Craffehaft, Offenburg Langendiebach, was born, April 25, 1755, and died, January 26, 1832, and is buried in the cemetery of St. Peter's church in Ralpho township. Nothing of his early life or the date of his settlement in Ralpho township is known, further than that traditions in the family point to his being one of the early, if not the earliest, settler in Ralpho township. His wife was Elizabeth Hinkle and it is presumed he lived and married her in Berks county previous to coming to Northumber- land county. His settlement was made where John Campbell now resides, and he owned a large tract of land embracing many hundreds of acres. His family consisted of six daughters and six sons: Nellie, wife of George Start- zel; Susanna, wife of Samuel Startzel; Elizabeth, wife of Gilbert Liby; Polly, wife of Peter Strausser; Maria, wife of Jacob Kreher; Catharine, wife of Samuel Anspach; Frederick; John; Samuel; Casper; Leonard, and Peter, all of whom are dead.

CASPER ADAMS, fourth son of Casper Adams, Sr., was born in 1776 upon the homestead farm; he was reared a farmer, and on coming of age his father deeded to him one hundred acres of land, which was situated where his son George C. now resides. He married Susanna, daughter of John Startzel, and by this union they were the parents of the following children: Benjamin; David; Casper, deceased; George C .; Jacob; Samuel, deceased; William; Elizabeth, deceased wife of William Smith; Susanna, deceased wife of Will- iam Klase; Pollie, deceased wife of a Mr. Fry; Angelina, wife of William Smith, and Harriet, deceased. Mr. Adams was a life-long member, and elder of St. Peter's Reformed church, and was a liberal contributor towards the

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erection of the church edifice. Politically he was an ardent Democrat. He died in 1882, his wife having died in 1873.

GEORGE C. ADAMS was born, August 17, 1826, son of Casper and Susanna (Startzel) Adams. He received such education as could be obtained in the schools of that period. After coming of age he was engaged in railroad work, and for some years in the huckstering business and farming for his father-in-law. In 1863 he purchased the old homestead property, where he has since been engaged in farming. He was married, September 12, 1855, to Susanna, daughter of Valentine Klase, of Shamokin township, and they are the parents of four children: Leanna, wife of Francis T. Barrell; Mahala, wife of Charles Paul; General G., and Alvin A., deceased. Mr. Adams is a member of the German Reformed church, of which he is an elder. In his political affiliations he is a Democrat, and while he neither sought nor would hold office, he manifests great interest in the success of his party.

THE REED FAMILY .- Among the pioneers of Northumberland county were Jacob and Casper Reed, natives of Berks county, Pennsylvania, who came to Northumberland county as early as 1774. They took up a tract of some five hundred acres of land, which is situated around what is known as Reed's Station, in Shamokin and Ralpho townships, and now in the posses- sion of their descendants. Jacob married, in Berks county, Elizabeth Dre- her, and by this marriage they had nine children: John; Jacob; David; Matthias; Salome, who married John Hursh; Catharine, who married George Hower; Magdalene, who married John Smith; Eva, who became the wife of Daniel Haas, and Elizabeth, who married W. H. Muench. Jacob Reed was a natural mechanic, and carried on the blacksmith and carpenter business in connection with farming. He was one of the leading men of his time, and to him is due considerable of the development of the locality in which he set- tled. He was the promoter of the organization of Jacob's church, which was named for him. In religious belief he was a Lutheran. John, his oldest son, married Eva C. Gillinger, and to them were born two sons and four daughters; Jacob, his second son, married Hannah Duttinger, and to this union were born four sons and three daughters; David, the third son, married Catharine Haas, and they were the parents of seven sons and five daughters; Matthias, the fourth son, married Priscilla Farnsworth, and to this union were born three sons and three daughters.

JOHN REED, eldest son of Jacob Reed, was born upon the old homestead in Shamokin township. He was reared and resided in his native township all his life, and followed farming as an occupation. He married Eva C. Gil- linger, who bore him the following children: Jesse, deceased; Maria, widow of John Lake; Jacob, deceased; Elizabeth, deceased wife of Casper Scholl; Hannah, wife of Solomon Martz, and Eve C., wife of William Zuern, of Col- orado. The whole family were members of the Lutheran church, and Mr. Reed was one of the leading members of that denomination. In politics he

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was a Republican, and an honest, worthy citizen. Both he and wife died in this township, and were buried at Jacob's church graveyard.

JACOB REED, second son of Jacob Reed, was born upon the homestead farm in 1795, where he lived until his marriage. He then settled upon the land where his son William now resides in Shamokin township. He was a tanner by trade, and erected a carding mill and saw mill, which he operated in connection with his farm of two hundred fifty-eight acres. He married Hannah Duttinger, by whom he had seven children: Daniel, deceased; Maria, who married George Young; Simon P., of Rush township; Elizabeth, widow of John Deibler; Julianne, Mrs. John Rohrbach; William, who resides upon the homestead, and John Jacob. He was a Lutheran in his religious belief, and politically a Republican.

JESSE REED, deceased, was a son of John and Eva (Gillinger) Reed, natives of Shamokin township, Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, and was born, March 3, 1808; his death occurred, June 18, 1884. He was a farmer by occupation, but in early life assisted his father, who was tax collector many years for Shamokin township, which at one time included Rush, Sha- mokin, Ralpho, Mt. Carmel, Coal, and Cameron townships. He also assisted his father, who had a contract for building a portion of what is now the Northern Central railway between Shamokin and Sunbury. By trade he was a brickmaker, which business he followed in his early life. He married in . 1834 Charlotte, daughter of Joshua Farley, of Hunterdon county, New Jersey, and by this union they had six children: Harriet S., widow of John Shipman; John W., of Ralpho township; Farley, deceased; Catharine, de- ceased; Oliver, deceased, and William A. Mr. Reed was an extensive farmer, cultivating some three hundred acres, and also carried on the milling busi- ness. In religious faith he was a Lutheran, in which church he was a prom- inent member and an elder many years. In his political associations he was first a Whig, and subsequently a Republican.

JOHN W. REED, eldest son of Jesse and Charlotte (Farley) Reed, was born at the homestead, October 3, 1838. He was educated at the common schools and learned the milling business, at which he has since been engaged. In 1871, in connection with John Shipman, he purchased the mill property known as the Shipman mills, which he operated until 1873, when he pur- chased his present mill. He was married in 1876 to Bethiah, daughter of Robert Davison, of Montour county, and by this marriage they have one daughter, Kate M. Politically Mr. Reed is a Republican, and a member and deacon of the Lutheran church.

WILLIAM A. REED, the youngest son of Jesse and Charlotte (Farley) Reed, was born, November 19, 1855, upon the homestead where he now resides. He was educated in the public schools, and was reared a farmer. He is also engaged in the milling business, having purchased the Shipman mill in the spring of 1890. In politics Mr. Reed is a Republican, and is one of the progressive citizens of Shamokin township.

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HISTORY OF NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY.

THE TEITSWORTH FAMILY .- Among the early pioneers of Northumberland county was John Teitsworth. It is quite certain by the information in posses- sion of his descendants that his father also came at the same time. They settled on Shamokin creek near Snydertown, prior to the Revolutionary war, and came from New Jersey. John Teitsworth had two sons, and one daugh- ter who married Benjamin Campbell. He subsequently kept a tavern at what is known as Paxinos on the line of Ralpho and Shamokin townships, and also owned about five hundred acres of land. He died about 1800. William, the eldest son, was born in Shamokin township, and served in the war of the Revolution. He was twice married; by his first wife, whose name is not known, he had no posterity. His second wife was Mary Campbell, by whom he had five children: Isaac, deceased; John B., deceased; Elizabeth, of Ralpho township; Katie, deceased, who married Peter Yocum, and Mary, deceased, who married John Persing. He conducted for many years the tavern that descended from his father, and was also engaged in farming. He died in March, 1836. .

ISAAC TEITSWORTH, eldest son of William, was born at Paxinos, Northum- berland county, Pennsylvania, in 1801. He married Catharine, daughter of John Persing. She was born in 1806, and is now living and resides with her son Isaac N. in Columbia county, Pennsylvania. By this union they were the parents of thirteen children: Mary A., wife of J. H. Reed; Lemuel; Rev. William P., of California; Benjamin F., deceased; Alfred, who was killed at Cedar Mountain, member of the Forty-sixth Pennsylvania Volun- teers; Harriet, deceased; Susan, wife of Daniel Adams; Isaac N., of Colum- bia county; Matthias, of Ralpho township; Katie, deceased; John H., of Michigan; Antoinette, wife of H. B. Soult, of Elysburg, and Matilda, wife of Theodore Clayton, of Riverside. He was a prominent member of the Pres- byterian church, of which he was an elder fifty years. He died in August, 1883.

LEMUEL TEITSWORTH, eldest son of Isaac, was born, January 15, 1828. He was reared a farmer, and educated in the common schools of the town- ship and Danville Academy. He learned the trade of tanner, and in 1852 located at Elysburg and erected a tannery, which he operated fifteen years. In 1867 he retired from business, purchased his present farm of one hundred acres, and has since been engaged in farming. He was married in 1854 to Elizabeth, daughter of William H. Davidson, of Catawissa township, Columbia county, and by this marriage they have two children: Alverda C., wife of J. L. Wolverton, and Ellen E., wife of S. C. Wolf, of Iowa. Mr. Teitsworth is a member of the Presbyterian church of Elysburg, and has taken great interest in the erection of the new church edifice erected this year, being one of the building committee. Politically he is a Republican. He is also one of the promoters of the Pine Hill cemetery.

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MATTHIAS TEITSWORTH, sixth son of Isaac, was born upon the farm where he now resides, October 25, 1840, and is a farmer by occupation. He was drafted in 1862, assigned to the One Hundred and Seventy-second Pennsylvania Militia, and served nine months. He was married in 1865 to Lena S., daughter of John C. Myers, of Columbia county, and they are the parents of eight living children: Alfred; Harvey B .; William M .; Amos; Maggie M .; Josiah B .; Preston, and Della. Mr. Teitsworth is a member of the Presbyterian church, of the Elysburg Lodge, I. O. O. F., also of the P. O. S. of A., and in politics is a Republican.

OBADIAH CAMPBELL, a native of New Jersey, removed to Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, in 1779, and located in Ralpho township. He pur- chased a tract of land containing four hundred acres, upon part of which the village of Elysburg is built. He built his log cabin upon the site of the present residence of Davis Huff, which was the homestead of the Campbells for several generations. His children were: Benjamin; John; James; Robert; Albert; Jane, who became the wife of Caleb Ely, and Joanna, who married George Ely. He was a Presbyterian in faith, and one of the organ- izers of a church in his new settlement. Politically he was a Democrat, and a zealous exponent of the principles of his party, of which he was a leader in his locality.

OBADIAH CAMPBELL, fifth son of Obadiah, Sr., and father of the present member of the family of that name, was born in New Jersey, in 1776. He was reared upon the homestead in Ralpho township. He purchased a large tract of timber land in Columbia county, to which place he removed, erected a saw mill, and engaged in the lumber business, which he con- tinued until his death in 1865. He inherited from his father strong Democratic principles, and while he would never hold office, he was a power in the local councils of his party. He was a member of the Presbyterian church and held official positions in the same. He married Elizabeth daughter of Nicholas Shipman, one of the pioneer families of New Jersey who settled in Rockefeller township, Northumberland county. She bore him four sons and six daughters: Nicholas; Mary, deceased wife of William Thompson; Hannah, deceased wife of James Hile; Jane, deceased wife of Elijah Yocum; Obadiah S .; Elizabeth, deceased wife of James Fox; Joanna, widow of John McMurtrie; John; Sarah, deceased wife of Shultz Knittle, and James J., of Columbia county.

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History of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Part 123

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