History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume II, Part 157

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

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861

BIOGRAPHICAL

Formerly Mr. Barley was active in politics, and he was elected on the Democratic ticket a committeeman and school director. He is a member of St. John's Evangelical Church of Manheim township, and has been a Sunday- school teacher for a number of years; he is now a German teacher.

SIMON M. SHOFF was born Nov. 29. 1854, son of Jacob S. and Annie (Kopp) Shoff, and is a member of a family which has lived at Conrad's Cross Roads for many years.

David Shoff, his grandfather, was a teacher, and lived at Conrad's Cross Roads on a farm. He and his brother, Fred, accumulated quite a competency, and their families com- prised twenty-two children. David Shoff died in 1880, in his eighty-second year. In religion he was a Lutheran, while in political matters he was a Democrat. His wife's maiden name was Smeltzer.

Jacob S. Shoff was educated in the common schools. He followed blacksmithing all of his life, having a shop at Conrad's Cross Roads. He died there in 1896, in the faith of the Lu- theran Church. He married Annie Kopp, daughter of Adam and Lizzie (Arnold) Kopp, and she is still living, at the age of sev- enty-four years. Children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Jacob S. Shoff as follows: Savilla married William Haugh, of Chanceford town- ship; Simon M. is our subject; twins died in infancy ; Adam married Miss Tome, of Chance- ford township; Susan married Al Reider, of York; David is at home ; Annie died young.

Simon M. Shoff was born at Conrad's Cross Roads, in the cellar of the home which his father was building, but which had not yet been completed. Although as a lad he displayed the qualities which would have made a bright scholar his educational advantages were few, as he was kept at home a great deal of the time to assist his father in his blacksmith shop. He attended Thompson's school off and on and then the public school, from the time he was six until he reached the age of fifteen years. He learned the blacksmith's trade in his father's shop, and learned butchering with his grandfather. Mr. Shoff worked with his father at blacksmithing until twenty-one years old, and then for a while farmed tobacco for Jacob Kohler, Bert Thompson and Ben Hake, accumulating some money thereby, and work- ing as a farm hand when not employed in the

tobacco patch. Thus by 1880 he had enough money saved to start buying his present farm, a fine place of seventy-seven acres, in Chance- ford township, which was bought one-third at a time. In 1901 Mr. Shoff built a new house, and all the buildings now on his farm are new with the exception of the old house which has stood on the place many years, having been built by Jacob T. Gohn. Mr. Shoff is a prac- tical, successful farmer and stock raiser, one who thoroughly understands his business, as is evinced by his years of prosperity, and he has always taken his place among the leading men of his township, being considered one of the substantial and representative farmers of York county. Of an honest and upright character. temperate and business-like, Mr. Shoff com- mands the respect of all who know him. Fo1 the past twenty years he has been a member of St. Luke's Lutheran Church, in which for a number of years he was deacon and sexton, and which he helped to build. In politics he is a Democrat.

On Dec. 8, 1881, Mr. Shoff married Sally Workinger, daughter of William and Barbara (Shaull) Workinger, and a niece of ex-Sheriff Jesse Workinger. One child has been born to this union, William Henry, who received his education in the public schools and the business college at York.

FREDERICK HOUCK, of Fairview township, who is actively engaged in cultivat- ing his farm, was born Aug. 4, 1838, in Ba- varia, Germany, son of Frederick and Charlotte (Mangold) Houck.

Frederick Houck, father of our subject, was born in Germany and was a weaver by trade. He married Charlotte Mangold, who was also born in Germany, and after marriage came to America. In 1844 they landed at New Orleans, La., after having a stormy voyage of fourteen weeks on the ocean, on the sailing ship "Swan- ton," coming by the way of Liverpool. They spent two years in Louisiana, while Mr. Houck was engaged in firing on a steamboat, and then journeyed to Wheeling, W. Va., where they remained six months, and from there went to Columbia, Lancaster Co., Pa. Remaining there only a short time, they removed to Hal- deman's Furnace, where Mr. Houck was em- ployed until 1860, when he removed to York county, and bought a small farm in Fairview township, upon which he died in 1865, at the

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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

age of sixty-five years. His wife died at the town, where he has one of the fine farms of age of eighty-one years, and they are both that section, was born on the home farm in North Hopewell township, Nov. 19, 1849. buried at Harrisburg. The children born to them were as follows : Frederick ; Charles, who died at the age of two years ; Elizabeth, wife of Adam Kreig, a butcher of Harrisburg; Sarah Catherine, who married Charles Houseman, who is employed at Steelton ; and Harriet, who married Frederick Wagonbaugh, an engineer of Steelton.

Frederick Houck was but six years old when his parents brought him to America. He attended the schools until fourteen years of age, and was then put at driving a cart at Haldeman's Furnace. This he followed until 1860, at which time he removed with his father to York county, and assisted him on his farm. In 1863 Mr. Houck married Julia Druck, born May 6, 1839, in Germany, daughter of George and Elizabeth Druck. After his mar- riage he located in Harrisburg where he was employed by the Pennsylvania Railroad com- pany, as helper in the blacksmith shop, and later lie became a skilled mechanic. He followed that occupation for ten years, and then bought the old home in Fairview township, to which he removed at the death of his father. In 1873 he built a barn and good out-buildings and made many improvements. Mr. Houck was also employed in the Pennsylvania Steel Works at Steelton for eight years, but is at present looking after his farm.

To Mr. and Mrs. Houck the following children have been born: Elizabeth, who died at the age of two years; Adam G. and Freder- ick, Jr., who live at Newmarket; Catherine, who died at the age of fifteen months ; Charles, who lives at New Cumberland; Harriet E., who married John Killinger, of Fairview township; and George, who resides at home.

Mr. Houck tried to enlist during the Civil war, but was rejected. In politics he is a Re- publican, and was supervisor for three years and inspector one year, proving to be a very efficient public officer. Mr. Houck is a de- voted member of the Lutheran Church, in which he holds the offices of elder, deacon and superintendent of the Sunday school. Mr. Houck is very well-known throughout York county, and is very highly esteemed for his many sterling traits of character. He has an enviable reputation for honesty and integrity.

DAVID DIEHL HERBST, at present engaged in agricultural pursuits in Winters-

The Herbst family is an old one, the name formerly being spelled Von Herbst, and David D. is a descendant of one John Herbst, who brought his family from Holland to America in 1798. When they left Holland the family consisted of the parents, five boys and three girls, and a son, David, the grandfather of David D. Herbst, was born on the journey across the Atlantic. The family settled in North Hopewell township, where they took up land and were among the earliest settlers of that section. Of the children, besides David, the youngest, Jacob returned to Holland, thence went to South Africa, and all trace of him was lost; another son settled in Adams county, Pa .; two others settled in Reading; John became a Lutheran minister and was lo- cated at Hanover; one of the daughters mar- ried Elias Eby, and went to Idaho fifty years ago; another daughter married a Mr. Wertz; and the third died unmarried.

David Herbst grew to manhood in North Hopewell township. He married Polly Mil- ler, settling on the home place, where he died. He was a faithful member of the Evangelical Church. Besides carrying on farming opera- tions he was an old time physician, with a good country practice, and he also engaged in the mercantile business. His children were : Will- iam, a merchant, who died in Glen Rock; Da- vid, who died in Springfield township; Eliza, who married Henry Howard, and died in Lo- ganville; Mary, who died out West; and Ja- cob, mentioned below.

Jacob Herbst was born on the family home- stead, and he received a common-school edu- cation. He was reared to a farmer's life, and also worked in his father's store, which he later purchased. He married Julia Ann Diehl, daughter of Charles and Catherine ( Kohler) Diehl. Mr. Herbst carried on mercantile pur- suits for many years, finally farming on the place now owned by his son, John. There he died in December, 1900, aged seventy-seven years, nine months. He was reared in the Evangelical Church, and remained an adherent to that faith until a few years before he died when he joined the Dunkard Church. Mrs. Herbst survives him, making her home with her son, John. Although eighty-four years old, she is still very active, and walks almost daily to and from York, a distance of twenty

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BIOGRAPHICAL

miles. She is a member of the Dunkard Church. The children born to Mr. and Mrs.

Herbst were as follows : Charles; David Diehl; Jacob, of North Hopewell township, who married Miss Strayer; Julia Ann, de- ceased ; Mary Alice, Mrs. David Brillhart, of Springfield township; Luther Lincoln, de- ceased ; William, living in Oklahoma ; John, on the home farm, and married to a Miss Stabley ; Sarah J., Mrs. Harry Diehl, of Loganville ; and Nathan G., of Windsor township, York county.

David Diehl Herbst was educated in the public schools, from which he was graduated when nineteen years old. He began his busi- ness career as a clerk in his uncle William's store at Glen Rock, where he remained but a short time, however, returning to the home farm. Mr. Herbst was there married, and in 1877 began keeping store at the corner of Hopewell, Windsor and York townships, and continued at that location until 1894. He then purchased his present place, a tract of 114 acres, upon which he built, in the same year, one of the finest residences in the township. Mr. Herbst also owns a farm of ninety-seven acres in the same borough. He was married in 1877 to Rebecca J. Brenneman, and to this union have been born the following children : Rose Ann, who died at the age of six years; Luther, at home; Matilda, who died at the age of four years; David, at home; Ima and Julia Ann, deceased; Irene, at home : Daniel, deceased; two that died in infancy; and Helen R. Mr. Herbst is a member of the Evangelical Church. In his political sympathies he is a Republican, and earnestly supports the principles of that party. A good farmer, a sub- stantial business man, and a Christian gentle- man, Mr. Herbst is honored and respected by a large circle of friends and acquaintances.

JACOB H. SECHRIST, one of the promi- nent and popular citizens of York township. where he is engaged in general farming and in the breeding and handling of horses and mules, is a representative of the third genera- tion of the Sechrist family in York county.

Henry Sechrist, his paternal grandfather, was born and bred in Germany, whence he came to America in young manhood. Soon after his arrival he located in Chanceford town- ship, York Co., Pa., where he became a pros- perous farmer and distiller, and where he

passed the remainder of his life, which reached the venerable age of eighty-five years. His mortal remains were interred in the cemetery in Chanceford township, as were also those of his two wives. His first wife was a Flinch- baugh, and after her death he married a Se- christ, a representative of another branch of the family. Of the children of the first union, John died in Chanceford township; Henry is mentioned below; Jonathan, Charles and Eliza- beth died in Chanceford township; and Mary, who became the wife of Jacob Kohler, died in York township. Of the second marriage three daughters were born, namely: Leah, who is the wife of Charles Grove, of York county ; Nancy, who became the wife of Emanuel Grove, and died in Chanceford township; and Susan, wife of Charles Diehl, also deceased.

Henry Sechrist, father of Jacob H., was born and reared in Chanceford township, where he received a common-school education, and where he became identified with the same lines of enterprise that his father so success- fully followed-farming and distilling. Finally he removed to York township, where he became the owner of a fine farm, and where he con- tinued to reside until the close of his life in 1885. He was a man of marked individuality and sterling character, and was held in high esteem. He was a Democrat in politics, and both he and his wife were members of the Re- formed Church. His wife, Mary, likewise horn in York county, a member of an old and honored family, was summoned into eternal rest in 1870. Of the children of Henry and Mary Sechrist is the following record: Caro- line became the wife of Joseph Slenker, and died in Spring Garden township; Henry, Jr., who married Rebecca Slenker, died in this county ; Adam, a prosperous farmer in Wind- sor township, has been thrice married, his present wife having been Elizabeth Strickler ; Charles, who married Nancy Seitz, is a resi- dent of York township: Jacob H. was next in the order of birth: John, who married Mary Strickler, lives in Windsor township; William, who married Mary Stillinger, resides in Wind- sor township; Peter, also of that township. married Mary Snell; Frank remained unmar- ried, and died in Windsor township at the age of fifty-three years; Mary died at the age of sixteen; Emanuel, who married Louise Roser, lives in Windsor township; and Cath- erine, deceased, was the first wife of Moses

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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Snyder, of Yoe, a local preacher of the United Mrs. Sechrist have the following children : Brethren Church.

Jacob H. Sechrist was born on the home- stead in York township Sept. 15, 1839, and he early aided in the operation of the home farm. He acquired his education in the district schools of the township, which he attended during the winter terms for the greater portion of the time until he had attained the age of eighteen years. For twelve years after his marriage in 1864 he continued to be associated in the management of the home farm. At the expiration of the period noted Mr. Sechrist purchased what was known as the Henry Miller farm, adjoining the village of Dallastown and comprising seventy acres of the most fertile land. On this homestead he has erected excel- lent buildings and made other improvements so that the place stands as a model of thrift and prosperity. He has platted about seven- teen acres of his land into village lots, placing them on the market as an addition to Dallas- town, while the balance of his farm he main- tains under effective cultivation or devotes to the raising of horses and mules. He has gained a wide reputation as a trainer of these animals, having devoted about thirty-five years to the business. He has often shown his exceptional ability in breaking mules and horses in short order, and his claim to be able to break even a green mule and make a good leader of him in twenty-four hours' time has heen justified in innumerable instances. At the York county fair of 1903 Mr. Sechrist had on exhibition a six-mule team, the animals then being eighteen months old and among the finest ever shown in this section of the State. He finds much demand for his horses and mules after they have been broken under his effective direction, and this branch of his farming enterprise has been made a very profitable one.

Mr. Sechrist is a liberal and public-spirited citizen, a stanch supporter of the principles of the Democratic party, frank and straightfor- ward in all the relations of life, and well de- serving of the confidence and esteem in which he is held. Both he and his wife are members of the Lutheran Church at Dallastown.

On Aug. 6, 1864, Mr. Sechrist was united in marriage with Rachel Strickler, who was born and reared in York township, a daughter of Harry and Catherine ( Bahn) Strickler, and a representative of one of the oldest and most honored families of York county. Mr. and

Emma is the wife of Frank Flory, of Dallas- town ; Emanuel S. married Mary Ellen Shatto, and lives at Dallastown; Sallie is the wife of Michael Seidenstricker, of York township; Ezra is associated with his father in the man- agement of the home place; Millie married Elmer Peters of Dallastown; Annie is the wife of George Shenberger, of York township; Agnes remains at home, as does also Harry, who married Lydia Druck; Elmer married Car- rie Illus, and lives in York City; Cassandra married Charles Gladfelter ; and Norman is at home.

EMANUEL S. SECHRIST, son of Jacob H., a prominent cigar manufacturer of Dallastown, was born in York township Oct. 5, 1868. Until he was twenty years of age he busied himself in obtaining an education at the public schools and in assisting his father in his farming oper- ations. At that time he married Mary Ellen Shatto, daughter of Rev. Martin V. Shatto, of Center county, Pa. After his marriage he began the manufacture of cigars, and this en- terprise has proved eminently successful, in- creasing from a business in which he himself was engaged to an industry which now employs thirty skilled workmen within his factory and seventy hands outside. In the trade his estab- lishment is known as No. 3608, of the Ninth District, the present building, which he erected, being two and a half stories in height, and 50 x 20 feet in dimensions. The high-grade goods of his factory are sold chiefly in Phila- delphia, Pa., and Columbus, Ohio.

Mr. Sechrist's standing as a promoter of the best interests of Dallastown is assured. He is not only prominent industrially, but is an influential Democrat, being at present a coun- cilman. He is a member of the Lutheran Church. His family consists of the wife already mentioned, and three children, Blanche Helen, Emery and Clara.

AVIS ANN CLINE, a highly respected resident of Lewisberry, York county, comes of honorable ancestry, numbering some of the best families of the country among her rel- atives.

In the maternal line her lineage is traced to Philip Frankeberger, who was born Feb. 28, 1752, and died Sept. 4, 1821. On May 24, 1774, he married Hannah Paup, who was born May 31, 1756, and who died Sept. 28.

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BIOGRAPHICAL

1829. They became the parents of twelve chil- dren : Margaret, born Oct. 28, 1775, died un- married July 18, 1863; Avis, born Dec. 22, 1776, died March 27, 1867; Sophia, born July 3, 1778, married Michael Krone, and died Sept. 5, 1867; Jacob, born Feb. 14, 1780, married Elizabeth Todd, and died Feb. 19, 1847; Re- becca, born Aug. 13, 1781, married Elisha Hammond, and died Jan. 31, 1863; Hannah, born April 19, 1783, married William Mor- rison, and died May 15, 1811 ; Mary, born July 24, 1784, married Michael Weidner, and died June 13, 1859; Abigail, born Dec. 25, 1786, married David Pyke, and died Oct. 9, 1872; Lydia, born April 22, 1789, married John Richmond, and died Sept. 28, 1867; William, born Jan. 7, 1791, married Matilda Todd, and died July 22, 1870; Thomas Paup, born March II, 1794, married Sarah Phillips, and died Aug. 24, 1837; and John, born Nov. 7, 1796, died unmarried Oct. 4, 1823.

Avis Frankeberger, daughter of Philip and Hannah, was born near Winchester, Va., Dec. 22, 1776, and died March 27, 1867. She mar- ried March 24, 1801, Hugh Foster, who was born in County Fermanagh, Ireland, June 20, 1766, and who died Nov. 15, 1827. Nine children were born of this union: Jane, born Dec. 20, 1801, married Samuel Kirk, who was born March 7, 1799, and who died Jan. 9, 1835, and she died April 26, 1871; Hannah, born July 24, 1803, died Oct. 28, 1805; Mar- garet was born Jan. 23, 1806; Robert Burch, born June 20, 1808, married Lydia Ann Kirk, who died Feb. 18, 1891, and he died Nov. 7, 1894; John, born Nov. 2, 1809, married Eliza Spahr, and died July 5, 1869; William, born April 1, 1812, married (first) Ellen Doyle, (second) Sarah Ann Clark, (third) Wealthy Ann Powell, and died April 29, 1883; Joseph, born Dec. 4, 1813, died unmarried July 21, 1880; Ann, born Nov. 1, 1815, died Oct. I, 1819; and Jacob, born May 20, 1817, married (first) Louisa Amanda Folkrod, (second) Mrs. Priscilla Heppard (Smith) Field, and died Sept. 24, 1893.

Margaret Foster, daughter of Hugh and Avis (Frankeberger) Foster, was born Jan. 23, 1806, and died March 27, 1886. On April 22, 1830, she married Andrew Cline, who was born Nov. 3, 1805, son of John and Elizabeth (Ensminger) Cline. To this union came ten children, as follows : Eliza Jane, born Sept. 2, 1831, married Stephen C. Pipher, and died

Aug. 31, 1897; Henrietta, born Jan. 29, 1833, died Sept. 25, 1836; Margaret, born Sept. 26, 1834, died April 17, 1835; Lewis, born March 10, 1836, married Elmira Mordorf; Avis Ann was born Jan. 3, 1838; William Henry Har- rison was born Oct. 24, 1839; Clarissa, born Nov. 18, 1841, married Brice I. Sterrett, and died Feb. 24, 1901; Lucinda, born May 15, 1844, died July 27, 1845; Caroline was born April 27, 1846; James, born Nov. 26, 1847, married Sept. 17, 1878, Sallie Heck.

Andrew Cline received a good common school education for the times, and then learned the hatter's trade, an occupation he followed until 1836. During this time he made a trip on foot to the State of Ohio, spending some time there. Returning to Lewisberry, he in- vested his savings in a farm of 120 acres in Newberry township, and built thereon the necessary buildings, including a good barn. This farm remained in his possession until 1856, when he sold it. In 1852 he purchased the Lewisberry mill from John Kauffman. He met with considerable success in his milling operations, in which he continued until his death, Nov. 18, 1882.

John Cline, father of Andrew, was a farmer in Newberry township, his farm being located near Lewisberry borough. At his death his remains were buried in a private cemetery on his farm. There, too, rests his wife, Eliza- beth Ensminger. Their children were : Henry, a farmer, who died in Ohio; John, a farmer of Fairview township, now deceased; George, a tanner, who died in Dauphin county; Philip; Frank and Joseph, plasterers, who both passed away in Lewisberry borough; Andrew, men- tioned above; Lewis, who died in Illinois; Mary; and Elizabeth, who married Jacob Kirk.

J. L. GERBER, secretary of the Home Furniture Co., of York, Pa., was born May 16, 1872, in Dover township, near Davids- burg, York county, son of William Gerber.

Christopher Gerber, the grandfather, came from Switzerland to Pennsylvania and settled in Dover township, York county. He was a skilled carpenter, and was the first to introduce Swiss barns in this part of the country, many of these being now erected in preference to any other. His original farm is still in the Gerber family. He died at Davidsburg, and was buried in the old Strayer cemetery in Dover town-

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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

ship. He married Elizabeth Speck, and she was laid to rest in the same old burying ground. They were honest, virtuous, industrious people. Their family of fourteen children was evenly divided, seven sons and seven daughters.

William Gerber, father of our subject, was born in his father's home in Dover township. He obtained his education in the district schools, and grew up an excellent farmer, re- tiring from active life in 1901. Since that time he has lived at ease, enjoying the friendship of many acquaintances and the affectionate regard of his children. He was married (first) to a Miss Kochenour, and they had these children : Catherine, wife of E. P. Zeig- ler, a son of Adam Zeigler, a carpenter, in Dover township; Mary A., wife of John Keller, a son of Christopher Keller, a farmer of Dover township; and Ellen, who died in infancy. William Gerber married (second) Barbara Bubb, daughter of Nicholas Bubb, of York county, near the Adams county line. During the Civil war Mr. and Mrs. Bubb were much inconvenienced by the frequent calls of the Confederate troops who demanded food and attention. The children of this marriage were : Emma is the wife of Henry C. Zinn, son of Jonas Zinn, a farmer in Dover township. D. W., who learned the cabinetmaking trade at Dover, and who is now treasurer of the Home Furniture Company, married Lydia Len- hart. A. J., who is now engaged in farming in Dover township, was educated in the York Academy and the Millersville Normal School and was a teacher for some ten years; he married Carrie Laner, a daughter of Henry Laner. J. L., is mentioned below. William Henry, the farmer on the old homestead on which his grandfather settled when he first came to America, married a Miss Leib. All this family are respected men and very sub- stantial citizens.

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History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume II, Part 157

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