History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume II, Part 103

Author: Prowell, George R.
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: J. H. Beers
Number of Pages: 1390

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Emanuel Stoner was born June 23, 1843. on the family homestead, and as a boy at- tended the neighboring public schools during four months of each year. His first teacher was Alexander Blessing, and his last school days were passed with Senator Harvey Haines. He also attended the Millersville

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BIOGRAPHICAL

Normal school for a short time, and taught at Stouch and Mrs. Evans, all of whom are de- intervals. His entire life has been spent in ceased. farming, with the exception of seven months when he was employed as a clerk in the store of Alexander Blessing. As a young man he was not strong, and was obliged to leave the normal school on account of his health. Thinking the heavy farm work would be too hard he entered a store, but his duties proved too confining, and he returned to an out-of- door life. He lived on in the old home where he was born, and, after his father's death, re- ceived as his share of the estate, 114 acres which he has since successfully cultivated. The house in which Mr. Stoner resides and in which his father lived before him, was built in 1815 by his grandfather opposite the orig- inal mansion. In those days a distillery was an essential adjunct to every farm, and one was operated by his grandfather. When this home was being built the last bottle of whiskey from the still was handed out to the masons, which, after emptying, they imbedded in the masonry, neck out, where it may been seen today.

Mr. Stoner cast his first vote for Gen. McClellan in 1864, but later joined the Repub- licans and voted for Grant. On national is- sues he has ever since voted the Republican ticket, but in State and local affairs reserves the right to use his own judgment as to the best men for office. He has served a number of terms as township auditor. In the Repub- lican convention held at York in the fall of 1904, Mr. Stoner was nominated for director of the poor, and at the election held in No- vember he was elected to that office for a term of three years. Mr. Stoner was brought up in the Dunkard faith, but is not a member of any church. He has never married. He is a man of progressive ideas, who takes an intelligent interest in public affairs.

ADAM R. WITMYER, a prominent cit- izen of Fairview township, York county, who is serving his second term as assessor, has lived retired in Newmarket since 1897. Mr. Witmyer was born Nov. 9, 1835, in West Manchester township, son of John Witmyer. John Witmyer, his grandfather, died before the birth of Adam R., and little is known of him save that he was a farmer of West Man- chester township and had the following chil- dren : Jacob, Simeon, Daniel, John, Mrs.

John Witmyer, the father, was born July 20, 1803, in West Manchester township, where he was a farmer and day laborer. He died in York, April 5, 1876, and is buried in Prospect Hill cemetery. He married Barbara Rupert, born Oct. 7, 1804, who died Aug. 9, 1894, and is buried beside her husband. Mr. Witmyer was a Democrat, and a faithful and active member of the Lutheran Church of York. The children born to John and Barbara Witmyer were as follows: Annie, born July 26, 1826, died at Baltimore; Eliza, born Aug. 25, 1827, is living in Dover town- ship, the wife of William Sweitzer, Elizabeth, born Nov. 17, 1828, married Jacob Kiing, and died April 2, 1904; Israel, born June 7, 1830, died in Lancaster county, near Mount Joy, (he served in the 17th Ohio Battery) ; Car- oline, born March 5, 1832, married David Hoke, now deceased, and lives in Baltimore; John, born Nov. 6, 1833, is living in Colum- bia, Lancaster county ; Adam R., whose sketch follows; Frederick, born April 30, 1837, was a member of the 87th Reg. P. V. I., and is now deceased; Jacob A., born Feb. 3, 1839, lives in York; Barbara, born Oct. 14, 1840, died young ; Daniel M., born March 21, 1842, was a soldier in the Civil war, and lives in York; Edward F., born Aug. 5, 1841 ; Samuel L., born in November. 1842, was burned to death in an accident; William H., born May 10, 1847; and Emanuel, who died young.

Adam R. Witmyer spent his school days in West Manchester township, and attended school in Lancaster county for one term, after which he learned the miller's trade, which he followed near Mount Joy. He then located in Clark county, Ohio, where he remained from 1857 to 1862, and then enlisted in Company A, 94th Ohio V. I., for service in the Union army. He participated in the battles of Per- ryville (Ky.), Stone River (Tenn.), Chick- amauga, Mission Ridge, Lookout Mountain, Resaca and Peach Tree Creek, and in the movements to Atlanta and Savannah, and thence to South Carolina. At Bentonville, N. C., he was wounded in the left shoulder, after which he was sent to New York and to Den- nison hospital in Ohio, where he was mustered out, May 24, 1865, by general orders.

After the war Mr. Witmyer settled in Springfield, O., and thence again located in

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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Lancaster county, Pa., in 1866, during which year he married Annie Brenneman, a daugh- ter of Henry and Mary ( Miller) Brenneman. After his marriage he went to Indiana, where he remained one year, again returning to Lan- caster county and locating in Conoy township. where for six years he followed farming and milling. In 1873 Mr. Witmyer located in York county and bought a farm in Fairview township, which was located near Marsh Run and consisted of forty-four acres. Part of this tract he sold to the Pennsylvania Railroad, and he is now the owner of thirty-eight acres of farm land and thirty-six acres of timber. Mr. Witmyer located in Newmarket in 1897, since which time he has lived retired. He is a stanch Republican, has served as school direc- tor, is now in his second term as assessor of Fairview township, and while a resident of New Cumberland was supervisor. In his younger days Mr. Witmyer was a Lutheran, but later joined the United Brethren Church, in whose work he is very active. He was superintendent of the Sunday school for four years. He is a member of B. F. Eisenberger Post No. 462. G. A. R., and of the Springfield (O.) Lodge No. 33. I. O. O. F. Mr. Wit- myer is an honest, upright man, and is well liked and highly respected in the community.

To Adam R. Witmyer and his wife the following children have been born: John A., born Sept. 29. 1867. is ticket agent at New Cumberland, and married Margaret Diehl ; William G., born March 1, 1869, married Annie Melcheor, and is a railroad man living at Harrisburg ; Harry F., born April 21, 1871, married Caroline Hess, and is living at York. where he follows railroading, and Mary Ann Barbara. born Feb. 27, 1877, married Harry Bixler, and lives in New Cumberland.

Mrs. Witmyer's great-grandfather, John Miller, was a native of Germany, who settled early in Strasburg, where he was a carpen- ter, and was killed by Indians who had con- cealed themselves in his barn. His son, John Miller, died in September. 1874, aged ninety- eight years, and his wife Betsey (Cramer) Miller, passed away in 1876, at the age of ninety-seven years. The latter couple lived at Lancaster Junction, where he worked as a carpenter and builder until he had acquired sufficient means to purchase a farm. In farm- ing he was very successful, and at the marriage of his children presented each $1,000.

He and his worthy wife were devoted mem- bers of the Mennonite Church. They were the parents of these children: John, born April 27, 1805; Joseph, died in Manheim: Sallie, who married Ulrich Strickler, and died in Salunga ; Mary, Mrs. Witmyer's mother, born April 16, 1817, who married on Sept. 28, 1858, Henry Wittmer, who was born Sept. II, 1819 (Mrs. Wittmer is now living with her daughter, Mrs. Witmyer, at New Mar- ket ) ; Hattie. the widow of Joseph Sowder; Jacob, a retired farmer of Manheim; Eliza- beth, born May 27, 1825, the widow of Dan- iel M. Grove.

ALEXANDER DIEHL, proprietor of the Diehl Candy Company, of York, is a rep- resentative of the fifth generation of the fam- ily in York county, a fact which indicates that the name has been linked with the history of this section of the old Keystone State ever since the pioneer era.

Adam Diehl, his grandfather, was of Ger- man extraction, and was a successful and highly honored farmer of Shrewsbury town- ship, where he passed his entire life. There his son Adam followed in his footsteps in a business way. Both were born in the old ancestral homestead. Adam Diehl, father of Alexander, was a man of marked energy and ability and of noble attributes of character, so that it was his fortune to hold the unqualified confidence and esteem of the people of the community in which his entire life was passed. He was an influential farmer of his native township, where he died in 1898, at the age of seventy-six years. In his early manhood he wedded Miss Annie Tyson, who was likewise born and reared in York county, daughter of Benjamin Tyson, a well known farmer of Springfield township. She resided in Shrews- bury township at the time of her death in 1885. The record of the eight children of this union is as follows: Emeline died in infancy ; Isabelle is the wife of Noah Brillhart, a farmer of North Hopewell township; Agnes lives at Glen Rock, York county ; Harrison has charge of the old home farm; Emma is the wife of James Grove, a prosperous manufacturer at Glen Rock; Adam is engaged in general mer- chandising at Hametown, York county, and Ezra is in his brother's employ: Alexander is mentioned below.

Alexander Diehl was born on the old

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homestead in Shrewsbury township, Nov. 23, "Felix," from Bremen for Baltimore, but 1864, and his boyhood days were varied in the usual way, by work on the farm, a due quota of recreation and by attendance at the public schools of the locality. He continued his schooling until he was seventeen years of age, and thereafter was associated with the work and management of the home farm until he had attained the age of twenty-four years. He then located in the village of Jacobus, York county, where for the ensuing three years he conducted a general store, and in 1891 re- moved to the city of York and established a flourishing enterprise in the manufacturing and jobbing of candy, the business being con- ducted under the title of the Acme Candy Company. In the spring of 1898 Mr. Diehl took possession of his present fine quarters, at No. 26 North George street, where he has continued to be successfully engaged in the wholesale and retail confectionery business, having abandoned the manufacturing depart- ment at the time of removal. He controls a large trade, and is known as a progressive and reliable business man and a loyal citizen. In politics he is a stanch Republican and both he and his wife are devoted members of St. Luke's Lutheran Church, in which he has served as deacon since 1896. In a fraternal way he is affiliated with the local organization of the Improved Order of Heptasophs.

On Dec. 14, 1889, Mr. Diehl wedded Miss Emma Beck, daughter of John F. Beck, a well known farmer of Springfield township, and of this union have been born four children, namely : Grace E., a member of the class of 1906 in the York high school; Nona E., and Ruth M., who are pupils in the public schools ; and Miriam.

LEVI BAKER, whose home has been in York county ever since his birth, resides in Windsor township on the farm where he was born. July 10, 1843.

Peter Baker, his father, was born in Ger- many, near Berlin, where he was reared and educated, receiving the ordinary education given to every German boy. After leaving school he learned distilling, and made that his occupation as long as he remained in Ger- many. He married Margaret Miller, a native of the same locality, and a young lady finely educated. One child born to them there died. In 1836 they embarked on the sailing vesse!

were ninety days on the voyage, as the ship was delayed by striking a rock soon after leav- ing Bremen. After landing. Mr. Baker and his wife came directly to York, and thence moved to Windsor township, where he rented a small home and began life in America as a day laborer. Before long he was able to buy a tract of five acres, which he cultivated in addition to continuing his work for other farmers. He was industrious and saving and later purchased twenty-five acres adjoining his first piece, where he farmed on his own account until 1870. In that year he sold the farm and moved to Lancaster city, where he passed the remainder of his life employed in gardening. He died in 1891, aged eighty-four, while his wife had passed away many years before, in 1873, at the age of fifty-nine. They were Lutherans in religious faith, and Mr .. Baker was a Democrat in politics. The chil- dren born to them in America were as follows : David, a market master at York, married to Mary Reichley; Peter, a farmer in Windsor township, who married (first ) Susanna Emen- heiser, and ( second) Mrs. Amanda ( Dillinger } Herr; Margaret, who married (first) Joshua Oberdorf, and (second) Benjamin Craley : Levi; Henry, of Lower Windsor township, who married Mary Ann Klinestiver ; Angeline, Mrs. John Chillas, of the same township: Matilda, who died unmarried; and Reuben, deceased in infancy.

Levi Baker attended the home schools until he was sixteen, but for two years before finally leaving he had been hired out most of the year to farmers. He worked first for John Irvin, who paid him from $4 to $4.50 a month, and by the time he was eighteen he was earning $15. monthly. At that age he began working for the Northern Central Railroad, as a brakeman. running between Holmesburg and Baltimore. and continued at that employment for two years, earning finally $45 per month. He gave up railroading, however, learned to mold bricks. and was so employed for two years in York and then in Chanceford townships; the bricks for St. Luke's Lutheran Church in Chanceford township were molded by him. At the end of that period Mr. Baker decided to return to farming, and buying his father's homestead. he has since been engaged in cultivating that and in milling. In 1900 he bought a small place of eight acres, which he rents. He is a

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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

wide awake practical farmer, and has been successful in all his undertakings.

In 1874, in Chanceford township, Mr. Baker was married to Annie Schoff. daughter of Frederick and Eva ( Arnold) Schoff. Mrs. Baker died in 1875, leaving one daughter. Emma, now Mrs. William Emenheiser, of Windsor township. Mr. Baker's second wife was Ellen Mckenzie, daughter of Thomas and Margaret (Butcher) Mckenzie. The only child of this marriage was Bertie Clinton, born Feb. 9, 1887, who has been educated in the township schools and is living at home. Mr. Baker has always been an ardent Democrat, but has never held public office. He was reared in the faith of the Lutheran Church.

D. FRANK KALTREIDER, a successful young business man of Red Lion, York county, who is extensively engaged in the manufacture of cigars, was born Oct. 19, 1878, in Red Lion.

Mr. Kaltreider received his education in the public schools of Freysville, finishing his school- ing at the age of twelve years, one year after his father had returned to Red Lion. He made his first money by raising and selling pigeons in his boyhood, and later worked with his father in various capacities, packing cigars, driving a team and working in his father's liv- ery stable. At the age of twenty years hie started out in life for himself, packing cigars for Daniel Spangler, and by September, 1900, he had saved enough to start in the cigar manu- facturing business for himself. He bought a factory from his brother Daniel C., by whom it was built in 1899, and there he remained from the time he began business, in 1900, until 1905, when he converted it into a dwelling house and moved it from Charles street to Broad- way; it is one of the finest in Red Lion. He is now erecting a three-story brick building, with basement, 66 x 40 feet, and equipping it with all modern improvements, including elec- tric light. Mr. Kaltreider employs thirty-four hands, and has, besides, the control of six other factories, doing a large business both as a man- ufacturer and as a dealer in leaf tobacco. He is an excellent example of the self-made man, having started at the bottom, with practically nothing, for he has earned all he now owns by his own exertions. and merely by the force of his own industry has advanced himself to his present sound condition. He is the owner

of two fine driving horses which promise to be very fast, and was formerly the owner of "Joe K.," 2:2114, which he sold in 1905. All his life he has been an enthusiastic lover of good horseflesh. He is considered one of the sub- stantial business men of the township, thor- oughly competent in his business. The esti- mated value of his real estate holdings in Red Lion, which include one of the finest homes in that place, is at present $19,500.

In his religious connection Mr. Kaltreider is a member of the United Evangelical Church. In politics he is a Democrat. He has served in the borough council, first filling out the unex- pired term of J. T. Gemmill, and in the spring of 1900 he was elected to the council, of which body he has served as president. He has been a director of the Red Lion Band Association for the past five years, and is a trustee of the Red Lion Fire Company. Fraternally Mr. Kaltreider is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias, the Odd Fellows and the Red Men, having been through all the chairs in the latter society.

Mr. Kaltreider was married in Red Lion, April 27, 1902, to Miss Vergie Idella Olewiler, daughter of Rudolph and Amanda (Smith) Olewiler, and two children have come to this union : Janet Merriam, born June 26, 1903, and Nolan Levi, born March 7, 1905.

EPHRAIM R. MILLER, for many years a farmer at Smoketown, whose death occurred in his later home in' Goldsboro, was born in Strinestown, Conewago township, in 1835.

Christian Miller, father of Ephraim R., was for the greater part of his life engaged in the hotel and mercantile business in Strines- town, although in his later years he removed to Smoketown, Newberry township, and devoted himself to farming. He was twice married, first to a Miss Rinehart, and second to a Miss Jacoby. The latter is also deceased, and both are buried in Smoketown, where the remains of Mr. Miller are likewise interred, his death having occurred in 1895. There were two sons : Eli, of Glen Rock, York county, who married Malinda Sehriver ; and Ephraim.

Ephraim R. Miller enjoyed a common- school education and then assisted his father in carrying on the farm. In 1860 he married and began farming on his own account in Smoketown, but after four years volunteered for service in the army, and Feb. 17, 1865,

D. Frank Kalleider

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BIOGRAPHICAL

enlisted in Company K, 192d P. V. I. His term of enlistment was one year but he did not complete it, being mustered out Aug. 24, 1865. During the five succeeding years he was an invalid, almost helpless, and his wife had not only the care of the husband, but the general responsibility. In 1890 Mr. Miller removed to Goldsboro, where he lived in retirement until his death, Feb. 28, 1904. His remains were interred in the old Fetrow cemetery. Mr. Miller was a well known citizen, one always in- terested in public matters- and during his few years in Goldsboro, served on its council. He was a Democrat in political faith. Greatly re- spected by all who knew him, his death was felt to be not only an irreparable loss to his family, but one which affected the best interests of his community.

The domestic life of Mr. Miller was a happy one. His wife was Elizabeth Fetrow, daughter of John and Lydia ( Brubaker) Fet- row. To their union the following children were born : Ella, Mrs. Milton Mickey, resid- ing at Smoketown; Harry, of Newberry town- ship, who married (first) Vera Prowell, and after her death, her sister, Sadie Prowell; Lydia, Mrs. Charles Fisher, of Goldsboro; Sadie, Mrs. John Shuller, of the same town ; and Howard F., a dealer in confectionery and cigars in Goldsboro, married to Mary, daugh- ter of Henry Writer. Mrs. Miller, who is still residing in Goldsboro, belongs to a family prominent in Fairview township.

SAMUEL LEHR, whose tragic death both shocked and grieved the whole commun- ity, was one of the best known citizens of Conewago township, York county. He was born in 1838, in Manchester township. York county, son of David and Elizabeth ( Myers) Lehr.

David Lehr was also born in York county, and was chiefly engaged in teaming to Balti- more and Pittsburg. After his marriage he located at Round Town, Manchester township, where both he and wife died ; they were buried at Quickel's church. They had eleven chil- dren, namely: George, who was a prominent citizen at Round Town, a merchant and justice of the peace, married Elizabeth Allison; Sam- uel ; David married Susan Strickler, and died in Manchester township; Henry died young ; William, a carpenter by trade, resides in the West ; John, who married Lydia Strickler, was

a cigarmaker and shoemaker, and lives in Man- chester township; Susanna died young; Eliza- beth married Adam Bowersox: Sarah married Abner Bowersox; Catherine is deceased; and Mary Ann died aged twelve years.

The late Samuel Lehr received a good com- mon school education in his native township and when his school days were over, learned the carpenter's trade, becoming a very thor- ough workman. He continued at that employ- ment, subsequently for about forty years be- coming a contractor and builder, and erecting many of the substantial buildings in his own and other townships. About twelve years of his active life were spent in York, but in 1892 he bought the Henry Hake farm in Conewago township, his home being situated about two miles west of Stahleys postoffice.

In 1863 Mr. Lehr married Tacy Ann Mil- lard, daughter of John and Sarah (Strom- inger) Millard, the former of whom died in 1875, and the latter, in 1903. Both were buried at St. John's cemetery in Fairview township. In regard to the venerable lady just mentioned, the following is quoted from a local newspaper :

"Died on June 15, Sarah Millard, aged ninety-three years, nine months and twelve days. In addition to what has been previously said concerning this mother in Israel, we would yet say that she was the mother of ten chil- dren, six boys and four girls. One son was killed by the cars ; one, Thomas, died just five weeks before his mother. She had thirty-seven grandchildren and fifty-two great-grandchil- dren. She was buried near Lewisberry. Rev. Emenheiser officiating." The children of John and Sarah Millard were: Henry, who was killed at York in the freight yards, married Ella Garretson: Robert, who married Mary Clarke, of Illinois, is a plasterer by trade, and lives in Kansas ; Ann Jane died young ; Thomas (deceased) married Ida Johnston, of Ohio: Rachel is the wife of William Robinson, of Fairview township: Tacy Ann, who married (first) the late Samuel Lehr, and (sec- ond) J. L. Gladfelter on May 16. 1905; John, a resident of Tennessee, married Eliza- beth Cockley; Ellen, wife of George Hart, lives in Hampton township. Cumberland coun- ty: Daniel died young; Jacob R., living in Iowa, married Alice Fisher, and has a family of eleven living children.

Mrs. Glatfelter resides on the home farm

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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

in Conewago township, a lady most highly es- masonry, three years later locating in York. teemed by all who know her. In the great bereavement which befell her in the sad death of Mr. Lehr. she had the sympathy of the whole neighborhood. Perhaps an account of this calamity may best be given in the words of the local paper :

"While on their way to the Hartman sale, Samuel Lehr and Jacob Boring had driven to Mt. Wolf and then started to walk to their destination on the railroad track of the Northern Central Railroad. They were walk- ing on the northbound track and a freight train was passing them on the southbound track, noise of which prevented them from hearing the approaching passenger train in their rear, and as the trains were going around a curve, the engineer was unable to see them in time to prevent the accident. When the train struck them they were thrown down the embankment on the country road. It is surmised that Mr. Lehr saw the death-dealing engine a second before his companion, and threw his arm around his friend in an attempt to drag him out of the way, both being hurled down the bank where they lay together in their last sleep. It is a great credit to a man that his last care should be for the safety of another."

SPAHR BROTHERS. The well known contracting and building firm of Spahr Broth- ers-Charles C. and Amos Spahr-with offices at No. 611 Linden avenue. York, has had the contracts for the erection of a number of the city's largest buildings. The first of the Spahr family of whom we have any record is William Spahr, who was reared some three miles north of Dover by Jacob Sheaffer, a farmer. He followed agricultural pursuits and died in early manhood. He was survived by his widow. formerly Eliza White, daughter of Joseph White, a stone-mason, contractor and builder, and two children: Lewis, a stone-mason by trade, who died many years ago ; and Jacob W.

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History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume II, Part 103

Author: Prowell, George R. Publication date: 1907 Publisher: J. H. Beers Number of Pages: 1390

Author: Prowell, George R.
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: J. H. Beers
Number of Pages: 1390