History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume II, Part 111

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

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Jacob H. Brenneman was born in Fair- view township, July 27, 1857. He received his education in the Morris and Navoo schools, attending until he was twenty years old. The following six years were spent on the home- stead assisting his father and for still another year after his marriage, which occurred in 1883, he remained on his father's farm. The next year he operated the John M. Hart farm in Fairview township, and then returned to his father's homestead for four years more. In 1891 he bought the Sam- uel Sunday farm at Navoo, consisting of 102 acres, which he has since made his home, suc- cessfully engaged in agriculture. He has greatly improved the property and has built

Besides being a well- known farmer, Mr. Brenneman is prominent in local business enterprises, and is stockholder and director and the president of the Fairview Mutual Fire Insurance Co. In politics he is a Republican. He is a member of the Bethel Church of Lisburn and has filled the office of elder.

Mr. Brenneman's marriage occurred Dec. 23, 1883, when he was united to Laura I. Coover, a daughter of Michael and Mary (Gardner) Coover, the former of whom, born in 1815, is still living and a resident of Cum- berland county. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Brenneman are Gale, Pearl, Mary. Coover J. and Eva May.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN RUFF was born at Harford Furnace, Md., April 14, 1847. The Ruff family is of Irish and Scotch extrac- tion, early members of the family emigrating to America from Ireland and Scotland. They were stanch adherents to Presbyterian doc- trines and principles.

George Washington Ruff, father of Benja- min F., was born probably in Harford county, Md., where he received a common-school edu- .

B.F. Ruff

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BIOGRAPHICAL

cation, and followed the occupation of farin- ing. He married Mary Jane Gilbert, who was born near Aberdeen, Md. Ten children blessed this union, viz .: Richard, who died in 1903; William J .; Ezekiel G., a farmer of Peach Bottom township; Eliza Jane, wife of George Naylor, of Red Lion; Benjamin F .; Mary Margaret, wife of Jacob T. Meyers, of Peach Bottom township; Nathaniel George and Jacob John, twins; one who died while young; and Moses Norris, deceased.

Benjamin F. Ruff obtained his education in Harford county, Md., and in Peach Bottom township, York county, completing it at the age of nineteen years. He was apprenticed to learn the blacksmith's trade in 1864, and served for a period of five years. In 1869, having mastered the trade, he located in Bry- ansville, where he has since resided. He owns an interest in a canning factory with his brother-in-law, Jacob T. Meyers, which they operate under the name of B. F. Ruff & Co. They make a specialty of corn.

On June 21, 1877, Mr. Ruff was united in marriage with Miss Marcelina Chalk, daugh- ter of Harrison and Martha (Jones) Chalk, of Cambria, Md., and they are the parents of two living children, Carrie and Bessie, both at home. Mr. Ruff is a member of the Republi- can party, but has never sought office. While a member of no religious denomination lie and his family attend the Methodist Church.

JONAS DEISINGER, M. D. (deceased), who for thirty years was engaged in the prac- tice of medicine in the town of Hellam, was born April 18, 1833, in Paradise (now Jack- son) township, York county, son of Jacob and Salome (Davis) Deisinger, natives of York county and of German descent.

Dr. Deisinger was one of a family of eleven children, and the first twenty years of his life were spent on his father's farm, where he re- ceived his education in the neighboring schools. For the next three years after finishing this portion of his education, he attended select schools at York, teaching during the winter months in the common schools of his county. At the age of twenty-three he began to read medicine with Dr. C. S. Picking, and in 1858 entered the medical department of the Penn- sylvania College at Philadelphia. In 1862 Dr. Deisinger was united in marriage with Miss Maria Mann, born in Hellam township, York county, Nov. 9. 1833. daughter of John and 39

Elizabeth (Blessing) Mann, the former of whom was a farmer and died in 1835, while the mother passed away in 1879, both being buried at Hellam, York county.

In 1866 Dr. Deisinger entered the Uni- versity of Pennsylvania, graduating in the class of 1867, and, returning to Hellam, at once began the practice of his profession, 111 which he continued until 1896. In that year he removed to York, where he lived retired until his death Aug. 13, 1903. Dr. Deisinger was a member and an elder of the Reformed Church of the United States. He was greatly interested in educational matters, and for some time served as school director. His profession connected him with the York County Medical Association (of which he was president ) and with the State Medical Association.

JOHN K. SEITZ, who now lives in retire- ment on his well-improved farm in Fairview township, was born Oct. 31, 1837, in Shrews- bury township, York county, a member of a fine old family of that locality. The great- grandfather of Mr. Seitz emigrated from Ger- many and was among the pioneer settlers of the township named. There his son John was born, and at the death of his father he pur- chased the homestead and continued to farm there through his active life, his death taking place at the age of eighty years; there, also, his wife passed away at the age of seventy-five years. Both were interred in Shrewsbury township. They were quiet, virtuous, home- loving people who capably cared for a large family and left records of Christian lives in their community. The children were: Jacob, Noah, John, Samuel and Daniel, all of whom died in Shrewsbury township; Adam, of York; George, father of John K .; Mrs. Myers, who died in Shrewsbury township: Mrs. Seicks, who died in a Western home; Mrs. Grove, whose death occurred in Chicago; Ben- jamin, who passed away at the age of twenty- one years, and the other six of the family of seventeen children died in infancy.

George Seitz, father of John K., was born Oct. 20, 1810, at the old home in Shrewsbury township. He enjoyed the advantages of a district-school education and then was ap- prenticed to the shoemaker's trade, which he continued to pursue for some twenty years. He then bought a farm of eighty-seven acres in Fairview township, which he cultivated until his retirement a few years before his death.

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George Seitz married Anna Mary Knisely, years, five months and twelve days. The sub- daughter of Anthony and Susan ( Snyder ) Knisely. Mr. Seitz came to Fairview township in 1838 and both he and wife died in Fairview township and are buried in St. John's cemetery. They were active members of the Evangelical Church. In politics he was a Republican and at one time served the township as tax collec- tor. He was an upright, honorable man in all his dealings with others, and exemplary in every relation of life. His four children were : Susan, wife of Abraham Reiff, died in Fair- view township; John K .; William, married Susan Kilmore and lives at Lisburn, Cumber- land county ; and Daniel, deceased, married Maggie Shaw.

John K. Seitz, as an infant of one year, was brought by his parents to Fairview town- ship. There he was educated and remained on his father's farm, working occasionally as a carpenter, until he was twenty-two years old. In 1865 he married Annie E. Grissinger, daughter of the late Jacob S. and Annie (Snell) Grissinger, of Windsor township. After his marriage Mr. Seitz continued to farm the old place, which he bought of his father, for over thirty years. In 1895 he located on his present farm, which contains about fifteen acres, and built there a very fine residence. Mr. and Mrs. Seitz have one son, Jacob G., who was born in 1866; and is now one of the township's leading men. In 1903 he was elected a justice of the peace in Fairview. He young. Twenty-eight grandchildren and one married Minnie E. Ort and they have one son, great-grandchild are left to mourn their loss. James G. Blaine.

Mr. Seitz is a Republican in his political views and has frequently been elected to town- ship offices, serving at various times as auditor and assessor. He is a member of the Lutheran Church. For many years Mr. Seitz has suf- fered from the effects of an accident which happened to him about four months after his marriage. He was driving a spirited team of four horses when the accident occurred.

The death of the father of Mrs. Seitz called forth more than the usual comment in Fair- view township, where this venerable citizen had been an honored resident so long, and there is here appended a comprehensive account of the leading events of his long and useful life, pre- pared by one who knew him well :

"On the 16th inst., 1883, Mr. Jacob S. Grissinger, one of Fairview township's oldest farmers, departed this life, aged seventy-three

ject of this sketch was born in Fairview town- ship, York Co., Pa., on the farm now owned by Andrew Strominger, and grew from childhood to boyhood and from boyhood to manhood there, and on the farm now owned by Jacob Sultzberger, and known as the old Henry Grissenger farm, lo- cated but a short distance from his birth- place. He remained at home a faithful young man to his parents, assisting them on the farm and in building the large stone dwell- ing that still stands on the old farm, and was at all times industrious. At the age of twenty- three years he married Anna Snell, one of Fair- view's fair maids (she was born in Windsor township and moved with her parents to this township when but six years old). On the first day of May, 1833, they began housekeeping on the farm now owned by Dr. Laferty, and on the first of April, 1834, they moved to their present home, in which he died. For forty- nine years the happy couple walked hand in hand adown life's thorny pathway, sharing each other's joys and sorrows, until death laid his icy hand upon a loving husband and a kind father. Financially the couple prospered with the success that only attends those who work harmoniously and for each other. There were ten children born unto them-eight girls and two boys-all of whom survive their father, except one son, Joseph, who died when quite

"When about eighteen years old he be- came a true Christian and connected himself with the Lutheran Church, which connection remained unbroken until his demise. He was a faitliful and devoted attendant of his church and a generous contributor to the church fund. On the 18th inst. he was buried in the ceme- tery near Lewisberry, a short distance from where he was born, and a large concourse of people followed his body to its last resting place. An appropriate and interesting sermon was preached by Rev. Dasher, of Harrisburg, from First Samuel, 20th chapter and 18tl verse : 'And thou shalt be missed because thy seat will be empty.

"We laid his body to rest in the silent grave to await the resurrection of the just. In his death the community loses a worthy citizen, the church a faithful adherent, the wife a de- voted husband and the family a true and loving

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father. Being acquainted with the departed for many years we knew him to be an upright citizen, an honest man and a man of unques- tionable integrity in all his business relations, thus winning the esteem and confidence of his fellow-citizens. He will be greatly missed in the little congregation at the New Market Church, but above all will he be missed in the home circle. Who can take the place of a be- loved husband and affectionate father ? He will be missed in the community, as a life of integrity and honor can be illy spared in the community ; but he is gone. Our loss we trust is his eternal gain.

"Politically he was a firm and sterling Dem- ocrat, yet was never so blind to party lines as to forget the welfare of his country. We shall greatly miss him in the party's council." .

JACOB LICHTY, a merchant of New Holland, York county, and assistant postmas- ter at Saginaw, East Manchester township, was born Dec. 4. 1828, son of Michael Lichty, and was one of a family of three children, the others being: Abraham, a farmer, who died in York county, and Henrietta, who married Mathias Coleman and resides in Illinois.

Mr. Lichty received his early education in the township schools and supplemented this with two terms at the York County Academy. Until 1863 he was employed in farming pur- suits, at that time engaging in the mercantile business at New Holland, which he still contin- ues. In 1857 Mr. Lichty married Mary Wolf, daughter of Adam and Anna Mary (Demuth) Wolf, who was born in 1833 in New Holland. After marriage he located on his farm in East Manchester township, in the house built (1807) by Frederick Day and his wife. The house was torn down in 1904 by the railroad company while the line was being built to York Haven, and Mr. Lichty and his family removed to his fine new residence in New Holland. which he had built in 1903.

The following children have been born to Mr. Lichty and his wife: Annie married Frank M. Kain, a veterinarian of York; Mary H. died at the age of twenty-one and was buried in New Holland; Susan married Anson . C. Hartman, and died in Middletown, Dauphin county ; Hannah died at the age of twelve, and was buried in New Holland; Sarah resides at home ; Fannie married Dr. H. A. Free, and resides in York; Ada married Jacob Doll, post-

master at Saginaw, and resides at New Hol- land; James A. is connected with Fry & Thomas, in York; Jacob W., who married Carrie Copenhaffer, assists his father in the mercantile business. Nellie Lichty Hartman, a granddaughter whose parents died when she was six years old, has since been a member of Mr. Lichty's family.

Besides being assistant postmaster at Sagi- naw, Mr. Lichty has been school director, audi- tor, assessor, county committeeman and an in- cumbent of numerous township offices. He is connected with the Lutheran Church, of which he is a liberal supporter. Mr. Lichty has hosts of friends in every section of the county who have been attracted to him by his strong, fear- less and resolute character, and by the un- swerving integrity of his conduct.

JOHN H. COPENHAFER, a retired farmer of East Manchester township, was born in 1835 in Conewago township and is a son of Martin Copenhafer. Little is known of Simon Copenhafer, his great-grandfather, ex- cept that he came from Germany and settled in York county, where he spent his life in farming.

Michael Copenhafer, son of Samuel, was born in 1761 in Newberrytown and combined tanning and farming as his life work. He died in 1836 and is buried with his wife at Quickel's church, Conewago township. His wife's maiden name was Gutwalt, and to them the following children were born: John and Jacob, who died in Lancaster county ; Henry, who died in Newberry; Martin, the father of John H .; Katie, who married James Rankin and died in the West, and Elizabeth, Mrs. Hoffman, who died in the West.

Martin Copenhafer was born in Newberry township and learned the tanning and mill- wright trades, which he followed for a number of years in Conewago. Later he farmed there for about fifteen years, and subsequently re- moved to Manchester township, where he en- gaged in farming until his death, in August, 1864, at the age of seventy-two years. His wife was Anna Mary Wentz, a daughter of John and Catherina (Jacoby) Wentz; she was born in Manchester township, where she died in 1891, being buried in Paradise township. To them the following children were born : Anna Mary married John Spotts and died in Pennsylvania; Jacob was killed in York; Reu-

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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

ben lives in Springfield, Ohio; Elizabeth died E. O. Archer, of White Plains, N. Y., and unmarried in West Manchester township; Samuel E. Catherine married Henry Stover and lives in Paradise township; John H. is mentioned be- low; Malinda married Andrew Hake and died in Hagerstown, Md .; Ellen died young.

John H. Copenhafer attended the public schools of Manchester township until the age of twelve years, when he learned the carpen- ter's trade which he followed for seven years. In 1856 he married Mary Ann Shindel, daugh- ter of George and Kate (Shriver ) Shindel, who was born in Manchester township. After mar- riage they located in Manchester township, where he was engaged in agriculture for six years. Later Mr. and Mrs. Copenhafer re- moved to Alexander Hay's farm, in Conewago township, where they remained four years, then returning to Manchester, where he bought a fine farm of sixty-one acres, erected a sub- stantial residence and other good buildings and lived for twenty-six years. In 1893 he bought a fine home in Manchester borough, where he now lives retired. Children as fol- lows were born to Mr. and Mrs. Copenhafer : Stephen Albert, who married Emma Duhling, is a millwright with the card and paper mills at York; Ellen Catherine married F. P. Lauer, and lives in York, and they have four children -Daisy E. and Lottie K. (twins), Anna M. and Steward; Anna Bell married Edward Bear, lives in York, and has three children living-Clark L., Paul E. and Robert; Carrie Jane married Jacob Lichty, lives at New Hol- land, York county, and has one boy, Jacob C.

Mr. Copenhafer is a Republican and has served as councilman of Manchester borough. In the Lutheran Church he is a deacon and elder.

SAMUEL E. BAILY, at the head of the York Carriage Company, was born on a farm in Susquehanna county, to which section his people had moved from Chester county, his grandparents having been natives of that sec- tion of the State.

Joseph B. Baily was a contracting carpen- ter, and died when his son, Samuel E., was but eleven years old. His wife was Diana Carlin, daughter of Peter Carlin, a farmer of Springville township, Susquehanna county, and the children born to this union were as follows : Emily C., who married John L. Rit- ter, of Philadelphia; Anna Mary, widow of

Samuel E. Baily has been twice married. His first wife was Agnes Dadow, of Pottsville, by whom he had the following children : Arthur W., connected with Strawbridge & Clothier, and Edith M., wife of George W. Ryan, of the York Carriage Company. After the death of his first wife, Mr. Baily married, Oct. 5, 1898, Clara Bolland, of Portland, Maine. Two children were born of this union, Clara Louisa and S. E. Baily, Jr.

After the terrible conflagration which re- duced his magnificent York factory to ashes, in the spring of 1904, Samuel E. Baily not only rebuilt the works with an annual capacity of 8,000 vehicles and employing over 300 peo- ple, but erected another factory in East York, near the Diamond Silk Mill, which has a ca- pacity of 10,000 vehicles a year. In addition to all this, Mr. Baily is at the head of the firm of S. E. Baily & Co.'s immense carriage works in Lancaster, Pa., where Mr. Baily spent the years of his younger manhood, and where he has hosts of friends, these works being efficiently managed by the resident part- ner, J. C. Schutte. The Lancaster factory em- ploys 120 skilled workmen, with a capacity of 2,500 vehicles per annum, the markets for its products being in all sections of the world. The carriage concerns in which he is inter- ested have an office and repository at Nos. 203 and 205 North Broad street, Philadelphia, a branch house at No. 36 Warren street, New York City, another at No. 7 Water street, Boston, and an agency in London. In fact they ship their goods to every civilized coun- try on the face of the globe, and no industry in York carries the name of that great industrial center to more foreign countries than the York Carriage Company.

Mr. Baily maintains his residence in Phila- delphia, but to York belongs the magnifi- cent industrial plant which he has established, where is given employment to hundreds of skilled mechanics, and whence many thou- sands of dollars are annually sent through the avenues of trade. It would be impossible to write a complete industrial history of York and omit the name of Samuel E. Baily, or the story of the great industries he has con- trolled and does control.

The York Carriage Company, however, is not the only important industry in York which

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Mr. Baily has established. In partnership with A. P. Broomell trading as the York Auto- mobile Company, Mr. Baily has established one of the best equipped automobile plants in United States, with a capacity of 150 touring cars per annum. More orders were received than could be filled for the season of 1905, and this added industry to York is strictly in a class of its own, and will not only do much toward making the name of York still more familiar to the people of other and distant sections, but will be another substantial evidence of the en- terprise and energy of S. E. Baily.

EMANUEL SNYDER is actively en- gaged in cultivating his 150-acre farm, in Fairview township. He was born Nov. 2, 1834, in Manchester township, son of Henry and Mary (Frey) Snyder.

Christian Snyder, the great-grandfather of Emanuel, came from Switzerland with two brothers, and located on the spot on the Sus- quehanna river where the capital of the State now stands, he being the owner and builder of the first house ever erected on the site of Har- risburg. In this house Christian Snyder, the grandfather of Emanuel, was born Oct. 27, 1768. Christian Snyder (II) followed agri- culture in Manchester township, and owned a large tract of land near the well known Brillinger mill, dying here Sept. 20, 1839. His wife, Annie Lehman, was born Oct. 13, 1769, and died July 21, 1834, at the age of sixty-four years, and they both were buried on the old family burying place in Manchester township. Mr. and Mrs. Christian Snyder were the par- ents of these children: John, born Feb. 8, Sept. 15, 1795, died in April, 1877; Jacob, born Feb. 4, 1798, died July 20, 1882; Abra- ham, born July 22, 1799, died at the age of seventy-two years; Peter, born Jan. 5, 1801, died at the age of twenty-one years; Henry, the father of Emanuel; Daniel, born Sept. IO, 1805, died Jan. 20, 1873; Elizabeth, born May 18, 1808, died May 3, 1891, and Magdalena, born Aug. 1, 1814, died Jan. 19, 1900.

Henry Snyder was born Oct. 30, 1802, in Dauphin county, being two years of age when his father moved to Manchester township, where he was reared to manhood and followed farm- ing. He bought a fine farm in Fishing Creek Valley, upon which he located, and here he died July 12, 1887. Mr. Snyder was a char-

ter member of the Fairview Mutual Fire In- surance Company, and was prominent in busi- ness affairs. He married Mary Frey (born March 8, 1816, died Aug. 20, 1856), and both she and her husband are interred at the Salem Church, in Fairview township.

The children born.to Henry Snyder and his worthy wite were: Emanuel; Eliza, born Dec. 8, 1835; Samuel, born Feb. 18, 1837, married Lydia Ginter, deceased, and they were residents of Ohio, living near Springfield; Maria A., born Dec. 4. 1838, died in child- hood; John F., born Dec. 28, 1839, married Annie S. Free, and is living in Fairview town- ship, where he is a farmer (he was a soldier in the Civil war) ; Susan, born Dec. 6, 1842, mar- ried John Sheelly, deceased, and she is living in Cumberland county ; Peter, born March 14, 1844, married Jane Sultzenberger, and they live at Lewisberry, Newberry township; Mat- tie, born Jan. 13, 1846, is the widow of John Rupp, who was a soldier in the Civil war; Elizabeth, born Feb. 13, 1848, died in in- fancy ; Annie, born June 1, 1849, died at the age of twenty-four years; Henry, born Jan. 10, 1850, married Ellen Ebersole, and lives in Fairview township, and Amanda, born Nov. 10, 1850, wife of John Ryan, died at the age of twenty-four years.

Emanuel Snyder attended the pay and free schools until he was nineteen years of age and remained at home until his thirty-fifth year. In 1862 he married Barbara Keister, daughter of Michael and Margaret (Kreger) Keister, of Newberry township, and at the death of his father bought the old home in Fairview town- ship, which consists of 150 acres of finel , 1793, died April 10, 1863; Christian, Jr., born. cultivated, productive farm land. The resi- dence on the farm was built in 1810 and is still in good condition. Mr. Snyder's f-her bought the farm in 1851.

These children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Emanuel Snyder : Mary. born March 25, 1865, married John Kautz, and they live in Newberry township; Jacob K., born Sept. 15, 1866, married Clara Struck, and they live in Fairview township: Henry K., born May 21, 1869, married Catherine Means, and they re- side in Wilmington, Del., where she was born; Michael K., born Oct. 14, 1872, married Sarah Fisher, and they make their home in Fairview township; John K., born Sept. 14, 1876 married Miriam Prowell, and they are living at Emigsville; Franklin K., born Dec.

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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

13. 1881, married Effie Kunkle, of Lewis- berry, Pa., and resides at home, assisting his father ; and Charlotte, Margaret and Edward, who all died young.

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History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume II, Part 111

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