History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume II, Part 123

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

USA > Pennsylvania > York County > History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume II > Part 123

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Manchester township, and about that time was assessor and tax collector of Manchester town- ship. He entered the employ of the York Haven Paper Company, in 1885. as a laborer, but in 1900 was made foreman of the oil house, which position he still holds.

In 1870 Mr. Malehorn married Anna Rodes, daughter of Daniel and Susan ( Palmer) Rodes, of Manchester township. Mrs. Male- horn's parents are both deceased. The chil- dren born to Mr. and Mrs. Malehorn are as follows: Albert Henry, who lives in Phila- delphia ; Edward Harvey, who lives at York Haven, and is employed by the Pennsylvania railroad; Ellen, who married Wilson Bailey, and lives at Mt. Wolf; John F., a paper maker, who resides in Philadelphia ; Laura, who mar- ried Joseph Swiler, and lives at Harrisburg; Sadie, who married W. S. Shelley, and lives at York Haven; Clarence, a clerk at Phila- delphia : Annie K., who married William Dietz, and lives at York, Pa .; Charles C., at home'; and Cora E. and Emma E., who re- side at home.

In politics a Republican, Mr. Malehorn has been very active in party affairs, and from 1897 to 1901 was postmaster at York Haven. He was the first chief burgess of York Havenl borough, served three years, was constable three years in the township, and has collected State, county and school tax. He has been a member of the United Brethren Church for many years, and has been trustee and church treasurer. Mr. Malehorn has the reputation of being a man of integrity and honesty. He is very well known and highly respected through- out the community.

JOSEPH WILHELM STRASBAUGH is a grandson of John Strasbaugh, a farmer of Spring Grove, York county, and a son of Peter and Elizabeth (Wilhelm) Strasbaugh. The former, who was a farmer. died in 1902, in his eighty-first year, and the latter belonged to a prominent East Manchester township family. Three children were born to Peter and Eliza- beth Strasbaugh: Albert, who is in the cigar business at Perkasie, Pa. : Emma E., who mar- ried Robert Yingling; and Joseph Wilhelm.

Joseph Wilhelm Strasbaugh was born on the old homestead, the old Smyser farm in Spring Grove, July 30, 1864, and was ed11- cated in the schools of Windsor township. He was reared to the life of an agriculturist. work-

675

BIOGRAPHICAL

ing on his father's farm until he was twenty years of age, when he went to cigar making and packing, being thus engaged from 1884 until Sept. 1, 1904. He then became manager for the Wheeler & Wilson Sewing Machine Company in York, and the business has grown rapidly under his efficient management, the well-known and time-honored Wheeler & Wil- son machine having, through his efforts, found · an extensive market in York county.

Mr. Strasbaugh was married Dec. 13, 1885, to Ellen Naylor, daughter of Robert Naylor, a well-known hotel-keeper of Weigelstown, York county, and one child has been born to this union, Annie, who married William Storm, a molder of Hanover. Mr. Strasbaugh fra- ternally is connected with the Odd Fellows, and belongs to the Myers & Adams Beneficial As- sociation. In his religious views he is identi- fied with the Reformed Church. In politics he is a Democrat.

JOHN KUNTZ, a preacher and revivalist of York county, and also a man of large and varied industrial interests, is of German de- scent, and of the second generation born in America.

Philip Kuntz, grandfather of John, was born in Germany, but came to this country and settled in York county, Pa., on land near the township line of Franklin and Carroll, a tract now owned by the Breneman's, Benders, and Bettingers. He was by trade a millwright, but also followed farming. He died in 1815, advanced in years. His wife's maiden name was Shimp, and she bore her husband eight children : ( 1) Michael, a resident of Mt. Rock, Cumberland county, was teamster and farmer, and died in 1880. He left an only son, William, who lived near New Kingston, married a Miss Brannon, and had three chil- dren, viz. : William; Annie, who became the wife of Mr. Fortenbaugh, now deceased, of Middlesex; and Mary, living in Middlesex. (2) Philip, a farmer and millwright in Franklin township, married Mrs. Andy Mumper, whose maiden name was Seidle. Philip died in 1862, aged seventy-nine, and his wife died in 1882, at York Springs. They had the following children : John, of Nebraska; Lizzie, wife of William Fickel, of York Springs, both de- ceased; Henry, deceased, who married a Miss Shenk; Samuel, a well known professor in Washington, D. C., now deceased. (3) Jacob

died when twenty-one years old. (4) Eliza- beth became the wife of Peter Hoffman, of Perry county, near Bloomfield. Both are now dead, leaving children, George, and Mrs. Hughes. (5) Mary married Henry Graybill, of York Springs, and later of Hanover. Both are deceased. They were the parents of Henri- etta, late wife of Mr. Keeny, of York; and Eliza, residing in Minnesota. (6) Rebecca married George Beltzhoover, whose home was near Kingston. Neither is now living. Their children were: Michael, who married Miss Mary Bricker, of Boiling Springs, and had three children, Jacob (now deceased, who left two sons, Frank, a lawyer of Carlisle, Cum- berland Co., Pa .; and Jacob), Michael and Alice ; and George, of Franklintown, who mar- ried Miss Elizabeth Kuntz, both deceased. (7) Susanna married Henry Sidle, a blacksmith by trade, who settled with his family in Minne- sota. Their children were: Samuel, who mar- ried a Miss Camel, and died in Carroll town- ship; Jacob, who married Miss Margaret De- hoff, and moved to Minnesota, and Henry, also a resident of Minnesota, and married to Miss Katie Katz. (8) John.

John Kuntz was born in 1800, in what is now Franklin township. He learned the car- penters' trade in his youth, and followed that calling until his marriage, after which he turned his attention to farming and carpenter- ing. He was a Democrat in politics, held various township offices, and served, as judge and clerk of elections, while in religion his affiliations were with the German Reformed Church, of which he was a member. His mar- riage occurred in 1822, to Susan, daughter of Michael Harbold, and they had a large fan- ily. Mr. Kuntz died in 1879, aged seventy- nine years. Their children numbered ten : (1) Catherine and (2) Michael are both de- ceased. (3) Elizabeth, wife of George Beltz- hoover, is now deceased. (4) Sarah married William Filler, and died leaving two children : Susanna, Mrs. Kapp; and Sarah, deceased. (5) Anglehard, deceased, married Miss Cath- erine Day. The widow now lives in Dills- burg, the mother of John, deceased; Susan, Mrs. Granville Nickey, of Hanover; Eliza- beth, Mrs. David Evans, of Martinsburg, Va .; Philip, deceased ; and Mary. (6) John is the subject of this sketch. (7) Philip married Miss May Stauffer, and has two children : Jolin, who married a Miss Deardorff; and

676

HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Annie, Mrs. William Fickel. (8) Susanna, 1902, and, Jan. 2, 1906, was married to Harry now deceased, was twice married. After the J. Strayer, of Latimore, Adams Co., Pennsyl- death of her first husband, Franklin Wolf, she vania. became the wife of William Altland, who is still living. She had one daughter by the sec- ond union, Cora, who married Clinton Myers, lives at Big Mount, and has one son, Lloyd. (9) Polly died unmarried. (10) Eliza Ann, now deceased, married Henry Klugh, of Frank- lin township, and had five children : Georgia, wife of John Heikes, of Mechanicsburg; Mary ; John, now in the west; Harry, living in Mechanicsburg; and Clara, now deceased.

John Kuntz was born in Reading township, Adams county, Jan. 22, 1835, and attended the county schools until he was sixteen. He then went to Berlin to learn carpentering, and after mastering his trade followed it for about a year in the northern part of the State, and then settled in Carroll township, where he was occupied both in carpentering and in lime burning. In 1886 he bought 4,000 acres of land, 600 of which were in Perry county, and the rest in Cumberland, and this immense tract he sold again in 1893 to Philadelphia capitalists. Mr. Kuntz now resides on the old homestead, which is a piece of property rich in a variety of mineral deposits. Besides mining great quantities of copper ore, which he has shipped to Jersey City, he has also developed rich deposits of spruce and yellow ochre, umber, buff and white clay, and in the near future is planning to open up quarries of the fine marble which his place contains. In connec- tion with all these other industries, Mr. Kuntz also runs a shingle mill with a capacity of 10,000 shingles a day, and a chop mill run by a thirty horse power engine. Another inter- esting feature of his property is the large cav- erns which extend under the mountainous por- tion of his place, one of which has been ex- plored a distance of 600 feet.

On Oct. 3, 1858, Mr. Kuntz was married to Miss Anna Mary Myers, daughter of Bar- nett and Elizabeth (Elicker ) Myers, and granddaughter of Ludwig Myers. To this Peter Kunkel married at York, Sarah San- ders, a native of Ireland, and they had two daughters and four sons, the latter bearing the names of Peter, Samuel, Jacob and Elijah. union were born a son and daughter, as fol- lows: Louis, who was his father's assistant until his death in March, 1901, married Miss Sadie Moyer, daughter of George Moyer, and Elijah Kunkel, son of Peter, purchased the mill property in 1880, thoroughly remod- eled it and added two additional stories to the whole structure. This mill was run steadily had three children, Letitia, Mamie and Will- iam; and Elizabeth died at the age of six. Mr. Kuntz's granddaughter, Letitia, graduated from Shippensburg Normal School in June, until 1884, when it was destroyed by fire. It

- In addition to all the responsibilities and cares entailed by his forty-four years of active business life, Mr. Kuntz has always taken a deep interest in religious matters, and was a minister of the Evangelical Association. Until recently Mr. Kuntz was quite active, but on Oct. 16, 1905, he went to Philadelphia on busi- ness, and while there suffered a paralytic stroke. His good wife hastened to him, and brought him home and under her devoted care he is ini- proving, although his left side is still paralyzed.

JACOB B. KUNKEL, of Warrington township, was born March 12, 1861, at the old mill property on Conewago Creek, in that township. His ancestors for many years have been prominent in the milling business.

Gottleib Kunkel, great-great-grandfather of Jacob B., emigrated to America in 1763, and landed in Philadelphia, from which place he made his way to Yorktown, which is now known as the city of York. From there he proceeded to Warrington township, and set- tled on Conewago Creek, the beautiful little stream which the Indians named Canna Wago, the meaning of which was that it was too deep to wade. Being a miller and a millwright, Gottlieb Kunkel here built a mill, being assisted by the Indians of the region with whom he became friendly. This mill structure was of rough hewn logs, and the apparatus for grind- ing wheat and corn was of native sandstone. The power was derived from an undershot wheel and iron gudgeon, and ironstone was used for the bearings. In connection with the mill he took up 640 acres of land. He had three daughters and two sons, among whom he divided his property.

Belshur, one of the sons of Gottleib, re- ceived the mill property, which, at his death, reverted to his son Peter, who was our sub- ject's grandfather.

677

BIOGRAPHICAL

was at once rebuilt and was equipped with all of families whose names have been linked the latest improved milling machinery. Elijah Kunkel married Mary A. Benedict, daughter of Peter Benedict, of Warrington township, and they had four daughters and two sons born to them, the latter being George L., a suc- cessful farmer and Jacob B., of this sketch.

Jacob B. Kunkel may be said to have grown up in the milling business, and, in addition to owning and operating this fine mill, he owns a forty-barrel mill at Williams Grove, Pa., which is operated by J. A. Davis & Son. Mr. Kunkel is now practically retired, but the mill is kept running to its full capacity by his son Mearl, a competent miller, who is keeping up the high standard of quality for which this mill has always been noted. Its history is more than usually interesting. In addition to the details given above a few more words may be de- voted to what is one of the landmarks of this. section.

As it has been shown, the Kunkel family have been its proprietors from the beginning. The mill is situated in a picturesque spot on the banks of the Conewago Creek. It was the first mill built in York county, and its patrons came from miles away. During the time of the British occupation of Philadelphia, the Continental Congress held its first sessions at York, and the housewives drew their supplies from Kunkel's mill. During the time when Washington and his hungry troops were en- camped in this neighborhood, from Kunkel's mill came the flour which furnished them with food.

Jacob B. Kunkel was married at Lewis- berry, Pa., to Miss Mary E. Spangler, dauglı- ter of Jacob H. and Lavinia Spangler, and they have these children : Mearl E., previously men- tioned; Lottie B .; and Mary J. In politics Mr. Kunkel is a Democrat, but has never sought or accepted public office. He is the third heaviest taxpayer in Warrington township. His home is a beautiful one on the banks of the Conewago.

SAMUEL F. GLATFELTER. In view of the nomadic spirit which is growing to ani- mate all classes of American citizens, it cannot be other than gratifying to encounter localities in which are to be found citizens of worth and prominence who have there passed their entire lives. In York county are to be found to-day many representatives

with the history of this section from the early pioneer epoch, and among the prom- inent scions of such worthy pioneer stock is found Samuel F. Glatfelter, who is one of the successful business men and influential citi- zens of York, where he is engaged in contract- ing and building, and identified with other en- terprises of importance, being vice-president of the. Hollywood Brick Co., of York. Mr. Glatfelter has well appointed offices in the Guardian Trust Building, one of the fine mod- ern business blocks of York.

Samuel F. Glatfelter comes of stanch German Swiss stock, being a direct descendant of Cas- per Glatfelter (originally spelled Glattfelden), who was born at Glattfelden, Canton Zurich, Switzerland, July 2, 1709, and who emigrated to America in 1743, at the age of thirty-three years on the good ship "Francis & Elizabeth," sailing from Rotterdam, and landing at Phila- delphia shortly afterward settling as a pioneer in Springfield township, York Co., Pa. Casper Glatfelter was a son of Felix Glattfelden ( who was born in 1674, and was married June 22, 1695, to Dorotha Gorias), and a grandson of Hans Glattfelden (whose wife was Verena Hauser ), thus establishing a lineage to the middle of the seventeenth century. Samuel F. Glatfelter is a representative of the fifth generation from Casper Glatfelder, the orig- inal emigrant, the line being through Casper's son, who was also named Casper, and who served as a soldier in the Revolutionary war; his son John and the latter's son, Isaac K., the father of Samuel F. Certainly there were more children born in each generation, but only the direct line is here given.

Isaac K. Glatfelter, father of Samuel F., was born in York county, in 1825, son of John and Elizabeth (Keiser) Glatfelter, early set- tlers of Shrewsbury township; and he died in 1895. He was one of the highly honored citi- zens and representative farmers of the county and wielded no slight influence in local affairs of a public nature. He was a stanch Demo- crat in his political allegiance, and his religious faith was that of the Lutheran church. As a young man he married Miss Sarah Feiser, who was born at Feiser's Mills, Springfield town- ship, this county, in 1828, daughter of Jacob and Mary (Bupp) Feiser, who likewise were sterling pioneers of the county, Mr. Feiser having been one of the most influential citizens

678

HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

of his section, and having long operated the importance, including the Hartley Mutual Fire mills which bore his name. Isaac K. and Sarah Glatfelter became the parents of five sons and four daughters, all of whom are living, as is also the revered and venerable mother, who now resides in the city of York. The names of the children are here entered in the order of birth : Anna M., Isaac J., Franklin P., John K., Samuel F., Sarah E., Emma C., Louisa F. and David L. The mother has been a lifelong member of the Lutheran church.

Samuel F. Glatfelter was born on the homestead farm in Springfield township, York county, April 7, 1858, was reared under the invigorating discipline of the home farm. He . valued members of Trinity Church, Evan- attended the public schools of the locality dur- ing a portion of each year until he had attained On June 29, 1879, Mr. Glatfelter led to the marriage altar Miss Ida Gilbert, of East Pros- pect, this county, in which she was born and Feared, being a daugliter of Daniel Gilbert, a member of one of the honored pioneer fam- ilies of the county, and a veteran of the Civil war, and who lost his life a prisoner in Ander- sonville prison. Mr. and Mrs. Glatfelter have no children. the age of seventeen years, when he left the farm and became a clerk in the general store of his brother Isaac, at Big Mount, Paradise township, York county, retaining this in- cumbency one vear. He then became a student in the Normal Department at the old York Academy, afterward putting his scholastic at-' tainments to practical test by engaging as a teacher in the district schools, while later he was a student for one college year in Pennsyl- JACOB L. MYERS, of Springfield town- ship, was born on his present farm, July 30, 1864, son of Jacob Youndt Myers, and grand- son of Jacob Myers. vania College, Gettysburg. He thereafter con- tinued to devote himself successfully to teach- ing for a time, but being mechanically inclined, he preferred the business to the professional life, and served as an apprentice to learn the carpenter's trade at intervals. In 1888 Mr. Glat- felter entered into partnership with G. W. Gil- bert, H. George and George Reidel (Mr. Gil- bert being his tutor when learning the trade), with whom he was associated in the planing mill business and contracting and building for the ensuing twelve years. The firm, whose headquarters were in York, did much import- ant work in the city. At the expiration of the period noted the partnership was dissolved by mutual consent. In 1901 Mr. Glatfelter be- came associated with others in the organization of the Coalinga Oil Co., which is incorporated under the laws of the State of Arizona, and he was made treasurer of the company at the start, and has ever since served as such, the office of the concern being in York, while its properties are located in California. Mr. Glat- felter is individually engaged in the building and contracting business in York, doing some of the most important operations, and at the same time he has other capitalistic interests of

Insurance Co., of which he is vice-president, Guardian Trust Co., and Mont Rose Cemetery Co., of whose directorate he is a member, while he is a charter member of all of these corpora- tions. He is imbued with a deep public-spirit and is progressive in his attitude, so that he is relied upon to co-operate in all worthy enter- prises advanced for the general welfare of his home city and county, while he has so ordered his course as to command the unqualified con- fidence and regard of his fellow men. In politics he is a Democrat, though never a seeker of office, and both he and his wife are gelical.

Andrew Myers, the great-grandfather of our subject, was a very large land owner of Springfield and York townships, owning about 500 acres. He was a minister in the German Baptist Church, and was buried at the old Ness burying ground in Springfield township. His children were: Jacob, Christian, Henry and Mrs. Hoff.

Jacob Myers was born on his father's farm in York township, and, like his father, was a large land owner, following farming all his life. He married Sallie Youndt, who died in Loganville, being buried in the East Codorus cemetery, while he died in Springfield town- ship, and was buried in the old Ness burying ground. He was also a minister in the Ger- man Baptist Church. To him and his wife were born: Isaac, who married Annie Mil- ler, was a minister in the German Baptist Church ; Elizabeth died single: Jacob Youndt ; Daniel, married Elizabeth Brillhart; and Jo- seph married Katie Bowser, who, after his death, married Rev. Christian Ness, of Spring- field township.

679

BIOGRAPHICAL

Jacob Youndt Myers was born in 1813, views Mr. Myers is a Republican, and has and received a common school education. On served as judge of election, and as inspector. May 13. 1847, he was married, by the Rev. Both he and his estimable wife are members Samuel Miller, to Nancy Shamberger, born of the German Baptist Church, where he has served for some time as deacon, and he is con- sidered one of the pillars of the Church. Both the Myers and Keeney families are considered among the pioneer families of this section. May 8, 1826, and after marriage located on the home farm for one year, at the end of which time he purchased the Painter farm of II9. acres, now owned by our subject. There he erected a fine set of buildings, and continued until his death in July, 1874. He was buried WILLIAM LESTER AMMON, a worthy representative of one of the older families of York county, and one whose early ancestral line on the maternal side connects it directly with that of Augustine Washington, sire ot the immortal "Father of his Country," is a young and rising member of the York County Bar, born in Lancaster county, March 4, 1868. at the East Codorus Church. His children were as follows: ( I) Joseph S., born Jan. 6, 1856, a motorman in York, married Priscilla Ma- thias, and had two children, Jacob ( who died in infancy), and Nancy G. (2) Elizabeth, born July 18, 1857, married Henry Ehrhart, a carpenter, and they are living in York; they have children : Clara M., Mary E., Lizzie J., Esther G., Virgie M., Jacob H., Elsie R., and Mary, deceased. (3) Susan, born in July, 1859, married George M. Leader, a farmer, and lives in York township, a sketch of Mr. Leader being elsewhere. (4) Jacob L. After the death of Mr. Myers, Mrs. Myers married Samuel Kreidler, and they reside at No. 663 West Philadelphia street, York.

Briefly stating a few of the salient facts concerning the ancestral line of our subject. it is noted that William . Ball, son of William. of Lincoln's Inn, England, was one of the four attorneys in the office of Pleas in the Depart- ment of the Exchequer. William Ball, of Atil- lenbeck plantation, came to America in 1657. He was the father of three children-William, Joseph and Hannah. Of these, William had a Jacob L. Myers attended the township schools until nineteen years of age, and then assisted his step-father on the home farm for two years. In 1885 he married Sarah Jane Keeney, daughter of Samuel and Barbara ( Bowman) Keeney, of Shrewsbury town- son Samuel, of Culpeper Courthouse, Vir- ginia, whose daughter, Ann Ball, married Johnt Campbell. One of the sons of this union. John by name, had a son John who became the fath- er of Elizabeth Campbell, the grandmother of our subject. Elizabeth married John Haw- ship, in which township Mr. and Mrs. kins and their daughter Mary married William Keeney still reside. After marriage Mr. and Ammon, son of George, and father of our sub- Mrs. Myers resided on the home farm, and ject.

after four years Mr. Myers purchased it, and located about two miles south of Logan- ville, along the York and Baltimore pike. It is one of the finest farms in Spring- field township, where Mr. Myers is very well known and highly respected. He has devoted all of his time to farming, in which occupation he has won success, and he is considered one of the substantial men of his township, and is sober, industrious and hard-working.

To Mr. and Mrs. Jacob L. Myers. the fol- lowing children have been born: Bertha M., who died when seven months and twenty days old; Joseph H., at home, assisting his father in his agricultural operations : Samuel K., who died when two months, two days old; Jacob E., attending the Elizabethtown Business school; and Mabel J., at home. In his political

The connection with the Washington family comes through William Ball, brother of the Samuel heretofore mentioned. His son Jo- seph Ball was the father of Mary, who, in 1730 became the wife of Augustine Washington, and two years later the mother of our illustrious first president. Thus it may be seen that our worthy subject may well be proud of his an- cestry.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume II, Part 123

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