History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume II, Part 110

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

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In 1888 Mr. Witmer was united in mar- riage with Miss Ellen J. Winemiller, daughter of Francis and Sarah ( Waltimire) Winemiller, of Hopewell township, and to this union were born these children : Ferdinand, a machinist in the employ of the A. B. Farquhar Company, married Martha E. Bush; Agnes M. resides at home; Elwood B., who is managing the hotel for his mother, at the age of sixteen years joined Company A, 8th Regiment, National Guards, and served throughout the Spanish- American war, being promoted from the ranks to be successively corporal and first sergeant ; and Mazie E., resides at home.

In politics Mr. Witmer was a Democrat, and always took an active interest in all mat- ters beneficial to his city. He was highly re- spected in the community, the entire family standing high in the esteem of the people of York, Mrs. Witmer is a member of the Trin- ity Reformed Church.

SAMUEL B. HOFF (deceased) became a resident of New Cumberland, Cumberland county, in 1900, where he lived retired in his fine home on Bridge street. It is supposed from surrounding circumstances that this venerable gentleman and highly esteemed citi- zen met his death by being injured by some of his cattle, as his body was found, Sept. 6, 1903, badly mutilated, in the field by the fence on one of his farms in Fairview township. His remains were laid in Mount Olivet ceme- tery in Fairview township.

Samuel B. Hoff had the following brothers and sisters: Jeremiah, who died in Missouri; Elizabeth, the widow of Jacob Barber (who for eight years was commissioner of Cumber- land county), residing at Lisburn, Cum- berland county; Magdalena, who also lives at Lisburn, and Henry, in Alaska. Mrs. Hoff, the widow of S. B. Hoff, resides in New Cum-

Mrs. Hoff's father died Dec. 25, 1883, her mother having passed away in March of the same year, and both are interred at Anderson- town, Monaghan township. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Hoff were as follows : Charles A., who married Effie Hetrick, a daughter of Dr. Hetrick, of Warrington township, is in the hardware business at Lykens, Dauphin county, Pa .; Leroy married May Greenfield of Fairview township, where he is farming; and Morris A., at home, is learning the under- taking business at New Cumberland. Mr. Hoff was a prominent member of the Masonic fra- ternity and many attended his funeral, which was conducted by the Masons of York and Harrisburg.

DAVID F. HANIGAN was born in Hope- well township, York county, Feb. 17, 1851, and is a member of one of the pioneer families of that section of the Keystone State.

Ramsey Hanigan, his father, was likewise born in Hopewell township, and was there reared to maturity. He principally followed charcoal burning up to the time of the Civil war. In September, 1861, he enlisted in Com- pany C, 87th P. V. I., with which as first ser- geant he proceeded to the front, continuing in service until the close of the war, and being second lieutenant of his company at the time of his discharge. He was wounded in the groin at the battle of Cold Harbor, and among the other important engagements in which he participated were the battles of the Wilderness, Cedar Creek, Chancellorsville and Petersburg, besides many others of minor importance. After the close of the war he returned to York county . and engaged in farming in Hopewell township, where he passed the remainder of his life, his death occurring in 1870, when he was about fifty years of age. The wound which he received in battle, as noted above, never healed and finally caused a dropsical condition which resulted in his death.

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He was a Republican in his political adherency, and during the administration of President Johnson served as mercantile appraiser and gauger. He was a consistent member of the Lutheran Church, as was also his wife, whose maiden name was Susan Hildebrand ; she was born in Springfield township, York county, in 1821, and hier death occurred in 1892, in Hopewell township. She was a daughter of John and Catherine ( Raymer) Hildebrand, who were sterling pioneers of that county. Ramsey and Susan Hanigan became the par- ents of six children, namely : John, who mar- ried Amanda Ream, and is a resident of Hope- well township : David F .; Jane, wife of Joseph Rickard, of Hopewell township; Elizabeth, wife of John Ream, of Upper Chanceford township; Agnes, wife of Christian Newkirk, of Philadelphia; and Ramsey O., residing in Upper Windsor township.

William Hanigan, the paternal grand- father of David F., was born and reared in Ireland, whence he emigrated to America when a young man, landing in Baltimore and finally taking up his residence in York county, Pa., where he followed various vocations as a day laborer. He married Miss Fistle, of Hope- well township, and there they continued to re- side until death. The Hanigans have been men of fine physique and much strength, save when impaired by disease. Of the children of William Hanigan the following record is made: Jacob died at the same time as his father, both having been taken ill after return- ing from a fishing trip; John, who died in Stewartstown, was a soldier in the Civil war and severely wounded at Peters- burg: Oliver, who was likewise a valiant Union soldier, died in Hopewell town- ship: Jeremiah died soon after the close of the war, at Glen Rock, York coun- ty, as a result of disease contracted while serv- ing as a Union soldier ; William, who likewise was a soldier. in a Pennsylvania regiment, died in Hopewell township: Barbara, who became the wife of Henry Mitzel, died in the same township; Malvina, the wife of John Standi- ford, died in Baltimore county, Md .; Ramsey, father of David F., was the second in order of birth.

David F. Hanigan obtained his early educa- tional training in the common schools of York county, attending the Mt. Zion school, at Springfield, for several winters, and being en-

gaged in school work at the time when his father went forth to do battle in defense of the Union. When the latter came home to recuperate from his wound David besought his permission to enlist, but owing to his im- maturity the request was refused. The boy, however, was determined on his course, al- though he was at the time little more than fourteen years of age. He surreptitiously left home and went to York to see Capt. Murray Cross, who failed to have him passed by the examiners, though he was of fine physical de- velopment and looked older than his years. The zealous young patriot then pushed on to Har- risburg, where he was refused the privilege of enlisting; but he determined to try once more. He proceeded to the barracks at Carlisle, where he succeeded in passing, much to his joy and satisfaction, and he was duly enlisted March 4, 1865, when he became a member of Com- pany C, 102d P. V. I., under Captain Matthews. He joined his regiment in front of Petersburg and thereafter proceeded with his command through North Carolina, where he was taken severely ill, being sent to the hospital at City Point. Three weeks later he was sent to McKinn's hospital, in the city of Baltimore, and thence to Pittsburg, where he received his honorable discharge on Aug. 18, 1865. He took part in the engagement before Petersburg, where he received his "baptism of fire," and was one of the youngest soldiers in the Civil war. After Lee's surrender his com- mand lay at Berksville Station, and to his bunk- mate he said, "My father is in this corps ; let's hunt his regiment." This they did, and the meeting of the boy and his father may be imagined as a joyful one.

After his return home Mr. Hanigan was disqualified for active labor of any sort for a year, owing to the effects of his illness, which had been caused by drinking polluted water. After sufficiently recuperating his health, Mr. Hanigan removed to Missouri, and secured work in a steam sawmill, twenty miles from Hannibal. At the end of six months he was again taken ill, being incapacitated for the fol- lowing half year, at the expiration of which he was able to return to his home. After his recovery he secured employment as a day laborer, and after his marriage turned his at- tention to agricultural pursuits, beginning operations in Hopewell township, where he re- mained until 1880, when he came to Lower

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Windsor township. There he had charge of the cultivation of the Detwiler farm, which he operated on shares during the ensuing thir- teen years. He then purchased his present place, which comprises fifteen acres, while he also purchased sixty-two acres of woodland in Lower Windsor township, which he is re- claiming to cultivation. He remodeled the house and made other excellent improvements on his place.

Mr. Hanigan is a prominent and popular member and has been commander of Lieut. R. W. Smith Post, No. 270, G. A. R., at Wrights- ville. In politics he accords a stanch allegiance to the Republican party and he was reared in the faith of the Lutheran Church, though not now formally identified with any religious body. He served one term as school director in the borough of Winterstown and also for one term as supervisor of Lower Windsor township.

On Sept. 15, 1869, Mr. Hanigan was united in marriage to Anna R. Snyder, who was born in Hopewell township, York county, daughter of Jacob and Sarah Snyder, both of whom are now deceased; her father was a farmer by vocation. Children as follows have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Hanigan : Barbara Alverda is the wife of John Kline, of Lower Windsor township: Odessa Blanche is the wife of Burman Fife, of East Prospect ; Rutherford Burchard, who married Miss Elizabeth Dritt, is a resident of the city of Lancaster; Chester Garfield is in the first class in the United States navy, stationed at Norfolk, Va .; Carrie, Myrtle and Roscoe S. are at home : Matthew Stanley Quay died in infancy.

WILLIAM CARNES CONWAY, the present proprietor of the Hermitage Cottage farm, in Hopewell township, was born in Shrewsbury township, York county, Nov. 25, 1844, son of Henry and Catherine ( Hedrick) Conway. The Conways are of Irish descent, the first one to come to America being John, who emigrated from Ireland when a young man, sometime between 1812 and 1815. He located in Baltimore, Md., married a lady from Philadelphia, and finally died in the city in which he had made his home. He left three children, namely: John, a sea captain, who sailed to foreign ports and is supposed to have lost his life in a shipwreck: Louise, who mar- ried and removed to Boston, and Henry.

Henry Conway was born at Baltimore in the year 1809. Left an orphan at an early age, he was reared by the father of the late Major Ruhl, of York, and from him learned the blacksmith's trade. Mr. Ruhl's shop was on the old York Pike, in Shrewsbury township, and there Mr. Conway received a thorough training. In time he started for himself in the same township, after a while moved to Glen Rock, thence to Deer Creek, and eventually to Stewartstown, where he opened a shop, in the spring of 1845, on the spot where the academy now stands. Later his eyesight failed, and giving up his trade Mr. Conway bought a thirty-acre farm, now a portion of his son's property, built a house there and made it his home until his death, in July, 1865, at the age of fifty-six years. Mrs. Conway, whose maiden name was Catherine Hedrick, was born in Shrewsbury township; her father, Henry Hedrick, had married a Miss Kraut. Mrs. Conway passed away about 1885, when nearly seventy years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Conway were both members of the Methodist Episco- pal. Church, and in politics the former was first a Whig and then a Republican, holding the office of township supervisor.

Seven children were born to Henry and Catherine Conway. (I) John, the eldest, was a carpenter by trade. He married Miss Amanda Smith, of East Prospect, settled first at Stewartstown, then successively in East Prospect, Columbia, Pa., and other places in .that State, and now resides in Michigan. In Stewartstown he enlisted in the 12th Pa. Re- serves, under Capt. Diven, in the army of the Potomac, and during his term of service was wounded in the breast and hand. (2) Eliza- beth is the widow of Col. Andrew Fulton, of Civil war fame, and is now living in Philadel- phia. (3) Lucinda is Mrs. James Blosser, of York. (4) Eliza married George Whitcroft, of Baltimore county, Md. (5) Charles, a resi- dent of Baltimore, has been twice married, his first wife being formerly. Alice Jones. (6) William Carnes came next in order of birth. (7) George married Miss Jennie Whitcroft and died in Baltimore.

William C. Conway was only a few months old when, in the spring of 1845, his parents moved to Stewartstown, and there he reached maturity, receiving his education in the public schools. His energetic temperament displayed itself early in life, and almost from boyhood

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he began to make his way in the world. He service which included much of hardship, at first hired out as a farm hand and later danger and honor. worked for his father. After his marriage, in 1,873, Mr. Conway bought the home farm and CALVIN A. BOYER, councilman from the Twelfth ward of York, was born there, Aug. 9, 1854, son of Conrad and Margaret Ann (Adams) Boyer. lived there for some time, but later bought a tract of land on the opposite side of the road, built a beautiful home there in 1898 and has since resided on this property. His farm, which comprises 112 acres, lies on the Winemiller road, two miles from Stewartstown, and is de- voted to general agriculture and to dairying.

In 1873, in Baltimore county, Md., Mr. Conway was united to Miss Laura Jane Leib. Her parents were Rev. William and Eliza (Allen) Leib, the former a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church, now living re- tired in Baltimore. Mrs. Leib is also still liv- ing. Mr. and Mrs. Conway are the parents of two children, viz .: W. Ashton, who married Miss Nettie Kearns and lives in Stewarts- town; and Grace A., who was first sent to the public schools, then took a special course at York and for the past six years has been a successful teacher in the home schools. Mr. Conway joined the Hopewell Methodist Epis- copal Church in 1868. Later the congrega- tion moved to Stewartstown and built a new church there, where both Mr. and Mrs. Con- way are among the most active members. Mr. Conway has always been a strong Republican and fraternally is a member of the Heptasophs.

Mr. Conway, as a veteran of the Civil war, was formerly a member of G. A. R. Post No. 365, in which he filled various offices. This post has been disbanded. His military service began in 1863, when he enlisted at Harris- burg, Pa., in Company A, 21st Pa. Cav., Capt. Hugh McCall, under Col. Boyd and later under Col. O. B. Knowles. The regiment formed part of the 2d Division, Army of the Potomac, under Gregg, and saw much hard service. Mr. Conway was in the battles of the Wilderness and Cold Harbor, in the Peninsular campaign and at Petersburg. He received his first wound at Cold Harbor, where a minie ball, which had already passed through one man, lodged in his hip. He was wounded again, in front of Petersburg, June 19th, when a piece of shell struck his right hand. He was in the field hospital for some time, was sent as a fever patient to Jarvis General Hospital, Baltimore, on the day after Lee surrendered, in the spring of 1865, and was finally dis- charged in June of that year, thus ending a

Daniel Boyer, grandfather of Calvin A., was a basket and fence-maker in Spring Gar- den township, and was well known in that community. He died aged sixty-five years, leaving these children : Conrad, Jacob, Daniel, Sampson, Henry, Mary, Rachel, Susan, Sarah and Christie.

In 1824, Conrad Boyer, son of Daniel, was born in Spring Garden township, and there received a common school education. He learned the tailor's trade, the vocation of his life, and died Oct. 22, 1904. His wife, known in maidenhood as Margaret Ann Adams, is now living with her daughter, Mrs. Clinton D. Frey, of York, Pa. To this union were born : WV. P., Mary, Walter, Martha, Rufus, Marvin, Alpheus G., Calvin A. and Harry D.

Calvin A. Boyer attended the schools of Spring Garden township until seventeen years of age, when he learned the carpenter's trade with William Miller, with whom he remained eleven years. He was then employed by dif- ferent builders until 1896, when he engaged in business on his own account, erecting some of the largest plants in York, among which may be mentioned the following : the Diamond Silk Mills; Evangelical church, on Wallace and Vine streets and the Reformed church on Market street. He is now constructing a large machine shop for the York Safe & Lock Works, where he has already erected three large buildings. At a meeting of the school directors of Red Lion, Mr. Boyer was awarded the contract for the new schoolhouse to be erected at a cost of $23,990. The structure will be more than fifty per cent. larger than any school building yet erected in the county outside of the city of York, but owing to the simplicity of planning and design, the cost is less, per pupil capacity, than that of any modern schoolhouse in the county.

In 1873 Mr. Boyer was united in marriage to Ella M. Blauser, daughter of Henry and Amanda (Campbell) Blauser, and to this union the following children have been born : Harry, Edgar, Annie and Cora. Mr. Boyer is a Democrat, and has served as justice of the

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peace in Spring Garden township; also for born in 1825 (educated in the public schools, eight years as constable. In 1905 he was elected councilman from the Twelfth ward, a position for which he is excellently qualified. He is a member of St. Mark's Lutheran Church of York, where he has held the office of deacon. He and his family are well known in York, where they reside in their fine resi- dence at No. 958 East Market street.

the academy at York, Chanceford township, Athens College at Athens, O., and in the Alle- gheny Seminary and preached in the U. P. churches in Eastern Pennsylvania and New England and the Western States ), who married Maggie McClain of Shippensburg, Pa., and they reside in Pittsburg; Elizabeth Mary, who died May 16, 1899; Euphemia C., residing with Samuel A., who was educated in the pub- lic schools and the Stewartstown academy, taught schools for three years, and is noted for township, York county, now retired from active her remarkable memory; and Samuel A.

SAMUEL A. MCALISTER, one of the old and honored residents of East Hopewell life, was for many years engaged as a carpen- ter in that section, but in later years followed agricultural pursuits. He was born on his father's farm in East Hopewell township, July 2, 1833.

James McAlister, grandfather of Samuel A., emigrated from Ireland to America when a young man. The trip to his new home was a stormy and perilous one, but, although the last of the provisions on board were consumed before the destination was reached, all landed in safety. James McAlister took up about 400 acres of land, becoming a very prosperous farmer. His wife, who had been Ellen An- derson, was also a native of Ireland.

John McAlister, son of James, was born on what is now the Lewis Miller farm in East Hopewell township, Jan. 29. 1780, and throughout life was a farmer. He acquired a farm close to his father's, and there he died in 1846. He was a member of the Associate Reformed Church, and when it merged with the U. P. Church, joined the latter. A leader in religious work, Mr. McAlister was for many years an elder. In politics he was an active Whig, and very influential in such matters. Mr. McAlister was buried in the cemetery close to his farm, where his wife was also interred. John McAlister was married in 1809, to Miss Jane Proudfit, born Jan. 12, 1788, daughter of David and Agnes Proudfit, and she died Feb. 5, 1845, the mother of the following chil- dren : James, the father of W. N. McAlister of Laurel, a full sketch of whom will be found elsewhere; David, who died at the age of twen- ty-four years; Agnes P .. Mrs. William Gem- mell (deceased) ; Thomas, who married Miss Elizabeth Moore, of Washington county, Pa., and died in that county: Eleanor A., Mrs. Simpson Smith, who died at Cross Roads, York county ; Martha, who died young ; John,

Samuel A. McAlister attended the Wallace school, during winter terms, until his eighteenth year. He was reared on the home farm and at an early age commenced to learn the carpenter's trade with Henry Hare and finished his apprenticeship with James Gem- mell. This vocation he followed for thirty years in different parts of York county, and also worked for one year at Alliance, Stark Co., Ohio. He lived at the homestead until 1864, and then until 1871 resided in a rented house near the Round Hill U. P. church. In 1870 he purchased his present place of twenty-one acres, upon which he built his residence, but did not occupy it until the following year. In 1863, during the battle of Gettysburg, Mr. Mc- Alister was a member of a Lancaster county company, with which he served three months, having enlisted in Lancaster City. He was stationed along the river, at Harrisburg. Pa., Hagerstown, Md., and Williamsport, Md., and at the end of his term of service was honorably discharged at Lancaster City.

For the past five years Mr. McAlister has been a member of the Hopewell Presbyterian Church, prior to this having been connected with the Round Hill U. P. Church for a period of thirty years. He has been a life-long Re- publican, and has served as a township official on many different occasions. Besides having been a farmer, during the active years of his life Mr. McAlister was a business man of the highest rank, and is looked upon by his friends and neighbors as an able and honest citizen. He has lived an industrious as well as a suc- cessful life, and is now living in comfort and plenty, enjoying the fruits of his early labors.

JACOB H. BRENNEMAN belongs to a family whose connection with the history of York county dates back at least to the Revolu-

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tion and whose annals present pictures of suc- ceeding generations of honorable, thrifty agri- culturists. Samuel Brenneman, great-grand- father of Jacob H., owned a farm in Conewago township, near Strinestown, and there reached an extreme old age. His children were : Henry ; John ; Samuel; Peter; Elizabeth, Mrs. Neiman and Mary, Mrs. McFadden.

Peter Brenneman was born on the home- stead in 1800. His occupation for the greater part of his life was milling, a trade which he learned at what is now Cline's mill. Thence he went to Bowmansdale, working as a miller for five years, and then moved to Monaghan township, near Andersontown, where he bought a tract of about 100 acres, built a saw- mill and operated his mill and farm for many years. His last days were spent in Mt. Pleas- ant, where he passed away at the age of sixty- two years. His wife was a Mrs. Getner, who. lived to be sixty-three and was buried, as was. also Mr. Brenneman, in Andersontown. They were the parents of a large family, namely ; John G .; Julia Ann, who died at the age of thirty-five, the wife of Israel Sulsenberger ; Jacob G .; Peter, who died aged sixteen ; Mary, Mrs. Joseph Elcock; Henry, who married Miss Annie Kann; Jacob, who died aged twen- . a handsome house. ty-five; Elizabeth, Mrs. Emaline Myers; Sam- uel, deceased at the age of twenty-one; Wil- liam, who died aged eleven, and Sarah, who married John Andrew Myers, of Mt. Pleasant.

John G. Brenneman was born in Conewago township, near Strinestown, Sept. II, 1825, and until he was twenty attended the township schools. For the first year after leaving school he worked for his father and then was em- ployed by other farmers until his marriage, six years later. He then commenced his career as an independent agriculturist on a farm on the line between Monaghan and Fairview town- ships, where he remained for seventeen years. At the end of that time he bought the Jacob Hart farm in Fairview township, consisting of 156 acres, and he operated that for eighteen years (or until 1894), when he retired from active life and is residing in Lisburn. He is a Republican and served seven years as school director in Fairview township. Mrs. Brenne- man, who was Miss Eliza Jane Heckernell, daughter of Jacob and Sarah ( Moore) Heck- ernell, died Jan. 20, 1886, and is buried at Andersontown. She bore her husband the following children : Rosella, at home; Jacob

H. ; William P., who married Miss Mary Kim- mel and bought his father's Fairview farm; Sallie, the widow of Elsworth Miller, residing in Mechanicsburg; Annis, Mrs. Harry Dif- fendeffer, of Lancaster; Minnie, the wife of Rev. John Manifold, a Lutheran minister lo- cated in Northumberland county; Henry, who died aged three months; Alberta, a graduate of the Millersville Normal, teaching at Lis- burn; May at home, and Gale, who died when ten years old.

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History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume II, Part 110

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