History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume II, Part 190

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

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Mr. Grissinger married H. Minnie Fisher, daughter of his former employer, John Will- iam Fisher, and to this union the following named children have been born: James Leroy, B. Frank, Jr., John Raymond and Paul L. In politics Mr. Grissinger is a Republican.

H. A. BORTNER, manufacturer of ginger ale, seltzer, root beer and pop of all flavors, at Glen Rock, Pa., is one of the suc- cessful business men of this section. He was born Sept. 26, 1874, in Codorus township, York county, son of Eli S. and Rebecca (Ab- myer) Bortner.

George Bortner, the paternal grandfather, was a farmer in Codorus township and also engaged extensively in the sawmill business. He erected all the excellent buildings on his farm, burning the brick in a large yard estab- lished on his own property. He married Mary

Eli S. Bortner, father of H. A., was born in Codorus township and grew up at home, assisting his father, and also engaged in boiling sugar cane molasses on his own account for a period of five years. At his father's death he took over the old homestead of sixty-four acres on the Glen Rock road in Codorus township, and there he still resides. He married Re- becca, daughter of Jacob Abmyer, of York county.

H. A. Bortner attended the township schools until nineteen years of age, and then went to learn the carpenter's trade with D. S. Hoover in his native township, and followed this occupation for two years. He then was. employed by E. D. Bortner, at Glenville, with' whom he learned the bottling business, remain- ing with him for four years. After operating an establishment at Glenville for nine months for a Mr. Katz, he started into business for himself, April 30, 1900.

Mr. Bortner has fine quarters for his manu- facturing business on his father's farm at Glen Rock, his buildings consisting of a bottling room 18 x 18 feet in dimensions, an engine room 18x12, and a store room and ware- house 30 x 30, all fitted up with modern improved machinery of all kinds, with a ca- pacity of 100 cases daily. In addition he keeps two wagons on the road continually, and dur- ing the busy season has six engaged. He utilizes a gasoline engine for motive power. The excellence of his beverages causes a wide and increasing demand. His postoffice is at Glen Rock, on the R. F. D. Route No. I.

Mr. Bortner married Estella, daughter of George and Mary (Haines) Lucabaugh, of Co- dorus township, and they have one son, Dewey- Edgar. In politics Mr. Bortner is a Demo- crat. Both he and wife are members of Fiscel's Lutheran Church. He is known as a man of high business principles.

MENGES. . In the Pennsylvania Archives [2d Series, Vol. XVII] there are five records of emigrations of persons of the name of Menges, viz .: (1) Conrad and John George Menges, the first of the name to arrive in this country, came from Rotterdam in the ship "Albany," Robert Brown, master; he qualified

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BIOGRAPHICAL

Sept. 2, 1749. (2) Wilhelm Manges (so spelled) came in the "Dragon,". Daniel Nicho- las, master ; he qualified Oct. 17, 1749. (3) Peter, J. Conrad, Hans Peter, Adam and John George Menges came in the brigantine "Sarah and Mary," Thomas Broderick, master, from Amsterdam. They qualified Oct. 26, 1754. These five were probably brothers or near rela- tives, and are likely the ancestors of the Menges in York county, as indicated in the similarity of the names prevailing in the family until the last generation, when the old family names were dropped. (4) Heinrich Menges came in the ship "Chance," Charles Smith, captain, from Rotterdam, last from Cowes, and quali- fied Nov. 1, 1763. (5) John George Menges came in the "Brittania," Thomas Arnot, cap- tain, from Rotterdam, and qualified Sept. 26, 1764.

In the office of the register of wills of York county is recorded the will of Charles Menges, dated March 29, 1786. His children were : Michael (probably the eldest), Mary, Eliza- beth, Peter, Anna Mary, John, Adam and Jacob. In the same office is recorded the will of Michael Menges (likely the eldest son of Charles), probated March 15, 1802, who willed all his property to his wife, no children being mentioned in the document. He lived in Man- chester township, York county.

On June 7, 1806, the will of Peter Menges, of Manchester township, was probated, his son John and son-in-law Kilian Zeigler being named as executors. The heirs were: Jacob, Peter, John (sons), Margaret (Mrs. Sheaffer), Elizabeth (Mrs. Fickes), Eve (Mrs. Eik) and Catherine (Mrs. Zeigler). He willed his farm in Manchester township, about a mile west of where the Hanover road joins the York and Gettysburg pike, to his son Peter, who paid the estate £1350 for 131 acres. In the same office is recorded a deed, dated May 3, 1794, given by Peter Menges, of Manchester town- ship, to John Kline, who paid him £370 for a farm of 187 acres in Codorus township ad- joining the Simmons and Folkenroth farms. In the same deed it is shown that Peter Menges bought this farm from Martin Forst in 1785. At the time he sold it he lived in Manchester township, on a farm bought from Charles Barnitz and wife before 1794. At this time it comprised 117 acres. Here Peter Menges died. He and his wife are buried in the old cemetery at Wolf's church, and the following

appears on their tombstones: "John Peter Menges, born June 10th, 1731, died May 30tl1, 1806, aged 74 years, II months and 20 days. Maria Catherine, wife of Peter Menges, born September, 1740, died Oct. 30th, 1806, aged 66 years and one month." This Peter Menges is probably the Hans Peter who came in the "Sarah and Mary" Oct. 26, 1754. He is the ancestor of the Menges family in York county. Where he lived between 1754 and 1785 is not ascertained.

Peter Menges (son of John Peter) sold the Manchester township farm he inherited from his father to David Sprenkel March 8, 1829, for $9,449.09. He had three sons and two daughters: Jacob, who married Elizabeth Emig and had one daughter, Mrs. Jacob Meyers ; George, who married Mary Kopp and had one son, Jacob, now of Jackson township, York county; Daniel, who died in 1860, at Hanover ; Mrs. Samuel Oberlander ; and Eliza- beth, who died unmarried.

Jacob Menges (son of John Peter) bought the farm in North Codorus township now owned by William Menges (great-great-grand- son of John Peter) from Christian Hershey, April 2, 1808; it is about half a mile southeast of Menges Mill. Jacob sold it to his brother John in 1823, and went West, since when noth- ing has been heard about the family.

John Menges (son of John Peter), born March 16, 1766, died Dec. 12, 1839. His wife Magdalena Lau, born Oct. 16, 1773, died Aug. 24, 1858. They had thirteen children : Jacob, Anna Maria, John, Daniel, Peter, George, Re- becca, Solomon, Sarah, Elizabeth, Leah, An- drew and Samuel.

The governing principle of this entire fam- ily was that of doing right. Neither money, honors nor preferment could swerve them from a course of righteous Christian action. Their religion was of the Frankien Lutheran Pietistic type, and they carried it into their every-day life and intercourse with their fellowmen. Though of strong Democratic convictions all but two of the brothers became Republicans at the outbreak of the Civil war in 1861 and re- mained stanch supporters of Lincoln's admin- istration. All lived to be old. the last to die being Samuel, the youngest, who passed away in 1900, at Oxford, Adams Co., Pa. A record of this family is as follows:

(I) Jacob Menges, born in 1795, in early life learned the milling business, and later

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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

bought a farm near East Berlin, Adams Co., geology. He is still engaged by the State in Pa: At the appraisement of his father's estate

he took the farm now owned by his grandson,

William Menges, at Menges' station on the Western Maryland road. He was a strong advocate of the early temperance movement,

usually so opposed in this section.

He car-

ried his strong religious convictions into all

his dealings with his fellowmen. He married Cathrene Zinn, and they had six children: (1) Jonas, born in 1825, learned the smithing busi- ness with his uncle, John Menges, in early life, but later turned his attention to farming. He

was a strong advocate of the anti-slavery movement. He married Sarah Kehr and lived on his farm in Jackson township, where he died in 1886. They had no children. (2)

Jesse, born May 10, 1827, was a farmer, in- heriting his father's farm already referred to. He was considered the best farmer in his com- munity. He was a Republican, and took an active part in politics during the war, in a community where the policies of Lincoln were most strenuously opposed and where a defense of those policies was unpleasant and some- times even dangerous. Jesse Menges married Louisa Senft, and they had nine children, Anna, Franklin, Ellen, William, Charles, Peter, Kate, Elizabeth and Ida. The father died April 11, 1903, but the mother still survives. Of this family (a) Anna married John A. Spangler, a member of the Spangler family of York county, and lives about three miles south of Spring Grove, Pa. (b) FRANKLIN MENGES spent his boyhood on his father's farm. Dur- ing this time he began a course of preparation for college at the Baugher Academy, Hanover, Pa., entered Pennsylvania College, Gettysburg, and graduated with the class of 1886. He was tendered and accepted the assistant professor- ship of chemistry in his alma mater imme- diately after graduation, and held this position until 1896. From Gettysburg he went to York and took charge of the scientific department of the York high school, holding this position until December, 1903, when he resigned to take the management of a section of farmers' institute lectures of the State of Pennsylvania and at the same time collect farm products for the Agricultural Exhibit of the State of Penn- sylvania at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in 1904, of which he had charge during the entire exposition. He was honored by his alma mater with the degree of Ph. D. for special work in chemistry, mineralogy and

doing farmers' institute lecturing, and also writes for the daily press on agricultural topics. He married May McIlhenny and they are liv- ing at York. (c) Ellen married Jacob T. Crist and they are living at Spring Grove. (d) William owns the farm bought by Jacob Menges (son of John Peter) from Christian

Hershey in 1808 and which has been owned by his great-grandfather, his grandfather and his father, and has been in the name for nearly a century. He is active in Republican politics in a hopelessly Democratic district. (e) Charles married Ameda Lau, and they live at Spring Grove, where he is in the produce business. He was postmaster of his town dur- ing President McKinley's first administration and has been a member of the town council for a number of years. (f) Peter married Lucy Rohrbaugh. He is a farmer, owning the farm formerly the property of his great- uncle, John Menges, on the Hanover road near Iron Ore station, on the Pennsylvania road. He was school director in his township, being elected in a strong Democratic district although he was an active Republican. (g) Kate mar- ried Charles Reachard, and they live on the old home farm with her brother William. (h) Elizabeth married Peter Bott, and lives on the York and Gettysburg pike, near Labott post office. (i) Ida married Charles Baker, who died in 1900. She now lives with her mother on the old home farm. (3) Levi Menges, the third son of Jacob, died in boyhood. (4) William is living on the borough limits of McSherrystown, Adams Co., Pa. He is a farmer, and the largest land owner of the name, owning six adjoining farms, compris- ing between eight and nine hundred acres of the richest and most valuable land in the Cone- wago valley. He applies strict business methods to his farming operations and has suc- ceeded. He is a Republican in politics. He married Kate Hoke, daughter of Casper Hoke, and they have the following children : Henry, who is married and living on one of his father's farms; Mary, at home with her par- ents; Sarah, Mrs. Henry Hartman; Ellen, Mrs. David Little; Charles, at home farming ; Agnes, Mrs. Charles Bowman; John, living on his farm near his father; and Lucy and Jesse, both living at home. (5) Leah, the only daughter of Jacob Menges, married Henry Reynold, and she lives with her neice, Mrs. John Spangler. They had no children.

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(6) Absalom, the youngest son of Jacob, lives Alice (married to Stephen Frazer) and John in Paradise township, York county, on the (who married Carrie Culp). Suzannah mar- ried Charles Eichelberger, and they had eight children, Emma, Martin, Ira, Clara, George, Etta, Jennie and William. Emanuel married a Miss Stauffer, and they had three children, Charles (who married Bertie Trostle), Harry (who married Mary Larew) and Frank (mar- ried to Minnie Thomas). Paradise creek, where he owns a small mill and two farms and combines milling and farm- ing. He married Nancy Hoke, daughter of Michael Hoke, and their children are: Sarah, Mrs. Martin Berkheimer, living at Spring Grove; Ellen, Mrs. George Heneise, living in Paradise township; Jacob, farming his father's farm; Annie, Mrs. George Bollinger, living close by her father's mill; Susan, Mrs. Allen Jacobs, living in Spring Grove; Jonas, living at Spring Grove; Paul, a graduate of the Dick- inson Law School and recently admitted to the York Bar; and Luther, one of the office men with the York Manufacturing Company. (II) Anna Maria Menges, second child of John, was born Sept. 9, 1797, and on May 24, 1818, married Zachriah Spangler, a mem- ber of the York county Spangler family. They had twelve children: Kathrine, Michael, Charles, Peter, Andrew, Solomon, Sarah, Re- becca, Elizabeth, Leah, Levi and Lidia.

(III) John Menges, son of John, was said to have been the image of his father. He was more than six feet tall and possessed enormous strength. He owned the farm now in the possession of his grand nephew, Peter Menges, near Iron Ridge station on the Pennsylvania road, and there during the early years of his life ran quite an extensive smithing establish- ment and also kept a tavern. He married Elizabeth Rudisill, and they had seven chil- dren : Anna Maria, Magdalena, Sarah, Mary, Nancy, Eliza and Jacob.

(IV) Daniel Menges, son of John, in early manhood managed his father's farm, lying about two miles northwest of Spring Grove. Upon his father's death he took this farm at the appraisement and later sold it to Henry Schwartz, whose heirs still own it. On June 18, 1828, he married Elizabeth Bollinger, and they had four children, Joseph, Henry, Suzan- nah and Emanuel. After selling the farm in- herited from his father he bought a farm near York Springs, then known as Petersburg, where he remained until his death, and where in later life he bought several other farms. Of his children, Joseph married Elizabeth Coulson and had five daughters, Sadie (Mrs. Clayton Myers), Mary (unmarried), Alice (Mrs. Alfred Harboldt), Marshy (unmarried) and Josie (Mrs. Willis Worley). Henry mar- ried Mary Strayer, and they had three chil- dren, Jacob (who married Annie Bream),

(V) Peter Menges, son of John, born in 1802, learned milling at Hershey's mill, in Heidelberg township, in early life. He mar- ried Anna, daughter of Christian Hershey, proprietor of Hershey's mill, and then took up farming on the place his father bought from his uncle, Jacob Menges, in 1823. In con- nection with farming he ran a distillery until the great temperance movement, with which he became identified and of which he was a strong advocate, swept over this section. He abandoned distilling and ever afterward was one of the strongest opponents of the whiskey business. In 1835 he bought his father-in- law's farm and milling property, which has since been known as Menges' Mill, one of the oldest milling properties west of York. Peter Menges died in 1883. He had two sons, John H. and Peter H.

John H. Menges, born Jan. 3, 1825, was during his boyhood and early manhood in the midst of great religious revivals which moved men's hearts. He came into the movement with his father and many others, and animated with a love for religious work he determined to enter the ministry. He received his academ- ical and theological training under Rev. Will- iam H. Heilig, at Abbottstown, Adams Co., Pa., and at Middletown, Lancaster Co., Pa. He entered the ministry in 1849 and was called to the Petersburg (Lancaster county) charge, comprising three congregations-Mt. Joy, Manheim and Petersburg. Thence he accepted a call to the German Lutheran congregation at Columbia, Pa., and while there organized the English Lutheran Church of that town. Thence he went to York and organized the Union Lutheran Church on West Market street, which he served fourteen years. From there he went to the Shrewsbury charge, com- prising three congregations-New Freedom, Fishel's and Shrewsbury. After leaving this charge he organized Grace Lutheran congre- gation, Spring Garden street, Philadelphia, from which charge he returned to the Manheim (Lancaster county) charge where he began his

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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

labors in 1849. He was instrumental in organ- izing the Loysville Orphans' Home, and dur- ing his ministry was a member of the boards of education, church extension, publication, the Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, etc. He was an unswerving patriot and loyalist during the sixties and from pulpit and with pen helped to fight the battles for the Union. He was a friend of the soldier and did not regard his church too sacred a place for his shelter, for when a furious storm overtook the soldiers of Camp Scott of York and drove them from camp he threw open the doors of his church to them. In 1864 he helped organize a company for the defense of the State and became its quartermaster, the boys naming the company the Menges Guard in his honor.

Rev. John H. Menges married Cathrine Sheller, daughter of Dr. Sheller, of Mt. Joy, Pa., and they had six children, all now living in Philadelphia, viz .: Margaret, Mrs. A. L. Jamison; Paul; Charles, who is in the auditing department of the Pennsylvania Railroad Com- pany, at the Broad street station, Philadelphia ; Mary, Mrs. William F. Earle; Sarah J., Mrs. N. B. Jeffries, and Allen. Rev. John H. Menges died in 1898 and is buried in Prospect Hill cemetery, York, Pennsylvania.

Peter H. Menges was born at Menges' Mill and lived there during his entire life. He at- tended an academy at Mt. Joy, Lancaster coun- ty, in boyhood, and in early manhood took the management of his father's teams. He was appointed one of the first internal revenue col- lectors under Lincoln's administration, when the enforcement of the payment of the revenues required the presence of an officer of the law and when it was necessary to be armed to collect the revenues. He was superintendent of a number of the iron mines along the Pigeon Hills until they were closed, when iron ore was put on the free list in 1878. After this he devoted his time to the management of his farm and mill, both of which he brought to a high state of development and efficiency. He married Kate Hinkle, of Columbia, Pa., and they had seven children : ( I) Annie mar- ried Z. L. Bowman and lives at Spring Grove, Pa. (2) John G. married Maggie Faust and lives at Menges' Mill station, on the Penn- sylvania road. He has been for a number of years postmaster at Menges' Mills post office and the proprietor of a successful mercantile and grain business. (3) Minnie married Charles Stauffer and lives at Spring Grove.

(4) Alvin L. is the owner and manager of Menges Mill, where he is conducting one of the most successful milling enterprises in the county. He married Eva Tanger. (5) Will- iam H. is associated with his brother Alvin in the milling and grain business. He is a grad- uate of Pennsylvania College, Gettysburg (1896), and after his graduation returned to his father's home, taking an active part in the business, in which he became a partner a few years ago. He married Charlotte Ger- trude Bowers and they live at the old home- stead with his mother. He is active in Re- publican politics. (6) Patience and (7) Mamie died in childhood. Peter H. Menges, the father of this family, died in 1904, and is buried in the cemetery at Spring Grove, York county.

(VI) George Menges, son of John, was a blacksmith by trade, but early in life turned to farming and became a wealthy man for his day. He married Margaret Emig, and they had seven daughters: Sarah, Mrs. Samuel Rudisill; Sevilla; Louisa, Mrs. Abraham Mar- tin; Margaret, Mrs. Abraham Hoke; Salinda; Magdalena, and Eliza. George Menges and his wife are buried in the Union cemetery of the Pigeon Hill church.

(VII) Rebecca Menges, daughter of John, married Solomon Moul and had six children : Teliah, Mrs. Peter Heilman; Sevilla, Mrs. Joshua Reynold; Sarah, Mrs. Andrew Rudi- sill ; Sophia, Mrs. Valentine Hoar ; Susan, Mrs. Theophilus Hoar; and Rolandus, now living on the farm inherited from his father at Mouls- town, Heidelberg township, York county.

(VIII) Solomon Menges, son of John, was a miller by trade, and for a number of years head miller in the mill of his brother Peter. After leaving there he went to Maryland, where he engaged in the business more ex- tensively, and where he married Julian Hess. Some years after his marriage he stopped mill- ing and bought a farm about two miles north- west of Littlestown, Pa. They had four chil- dren: (I) Israel after growing up on his father's farm and teaching school during sev- eral winters went West, where he engaged in teaching and where he married a Western woman. There he died several years ago. (2) Daniel learned milling at his Uncle Peter's mill, and afterward went West, where he mar- ried. He has two children, Charles and Julian. (3) Samuel spent his boyhood on his father's farm, married and continued farming on the

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BIOGRAPHICAL

old place until after his father's death, when he sold it and removed to Spring Grove. There he is now engaged in the paper mills of P. H. Glatfelter. He has one son, Charles. (4) Sarah married A. M. Frick and lives near Littlestown, Pennsylvania.

(IX) Sarah Menges, daughter of John, married Samuel Boyer, and they lived on the old Boyer homestead about two miles south- west of Menges' Mill, on the farm still owned by her son, Andrew Boyer. They had five children : Sarah, Mrs. Edward Stambaugh; Magdalena, Mrs. Henry Rohrbaugh; Leah, Mrs. John Bable; Andrew, who is married to a Miss Sheaffer and lives on the old home- stead; and Maria, Mrs. Jacob Bechtel.

(X) Elizabeth Menges, daughter of John, married Abraham Triber. They had four chil- dren, Henry, Peter, Elizabeth, and Mrs. Mar- tin Myers.

(XI) Leah Menges, daughter of John, married Michael Livingston, and they lived west of New Oxford, Adams Co., Pa. They had four children : Edward Michael; Peter, a Lutheran minister located at St. Mark's Church, York, Pa .; Mrs. David Taughen- baugh, and Amanda.

(XII) Andrew Menges, son of John, passed all his life at the old home about a mile and a half northwest of Spring Grove. This farm was bought by John Peter Menges (father of John) and given to his son John some time between 1790 and 1800. Andrew Menges took this farm at the appraisement of his father's estate in 1840 and lived there until his death, in 1890. He is buried in the ceme- tery of Christ Lutheran Church, Pigeon Hill. He was a universally beloved man, always re- spected and highly esteemed. He married Carolina Shanebrook, and they had four chil- dren : (1) Henry, who now owns and lives on the old homestead, which has been in the

name over a century, has acquired much wealth by shrewd business management and safe investments ; he married Anna Gross, and they have one daughter, Anna, married to Allen Smyser. (2) Agnes married Rev. Aaron Spangler, a member of the Spangler family of York county. (3) George in early manhood conducted his father's farm, and dur- ing this time a deposit of iron ore was dis- covered there, a mine was opened and he be- came the manager; when the mine was closed he moved to Spring Grove, where he engaged in the lumber and coal business; he married Amanda Martin, and they have one daughter, Lillian, married to John Stambaugh. George Menges died at Spring Grove in 1904 and is buried in the cemetery of Christ Lutheran Church, Pigeon Hill. (4) Lena married Michael Smyser, and they lived at Spring Grove, where he was in the mercantile busi- ness.

(XIII) Samuel Menges, son of John, learned the smithing business with his brothers John and George and carried on the business on the old homestead with his brother John. After that he went to farming, buying a farm about two miles northwest of New Oxford, Adams Co., Pa. He married Lidia Hershey and they had seven children : Jacob, who now lives in the home of his father in New Oxford; Susana, married to Milton Stambaugh and liv- ing on the York and Gettysburg pike near New- town; Elizabeth, married to Abraham Myers and living on the farm formerly owned by Jonas Menges, about a mile northwest of Menges' Mill; Henry, living in Germany town- ship, Adams county; Daniel and Peter, who live near New Oxford; and Lidia, married to a Mr. Hetrich and living on the home farm of Samuel Menges. Samuel Menges died at his home in Oxford in 1900 and is buried in the cemetery of the town.

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History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume II, Part 190

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