History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume II, Part 26

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 26

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).

DR. ISRAEL H. BETZ, son of George, was born in Penn township, Lancaster Co .. Pa., Dec. 16, 1841. When he was six years old his parents removed to Ashland. Ohio, where he was reared. He was given good edu- cational advantages and did not neglect them, later becoming a teacher in the public schools of York and Lancaster counties. He also at- tended the Cumberland Valley Institute, con- ducted by I. D. Rupp, the local historian, and A. F. Mullin, and later for several years at- tended the Normal School at Millersville. In 1865 he commenced the study of medicine with Dr. William E. Swiler. in Yocumtown, York county, and later attended the Jefferson Medical College, at Philadelphia, graduating in 1868. He located in Cumberland county and practiced there continuously a quarter of

140

HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

a century, and now lives in York, whither he removed from the Cumberland Valley, ankl where he is still engaged in the practice of medicine. He is a member of the York County Medical Society and of the State Medical So- ciety of Pennsylvania. He is a member of the York County Historical Society and of the Kansas State Historical Society. All his life he has been a student and a lover of literature. and has written much for publication. He has accumulated a large library, rich in works on medicine, science, philosophy and general lit- erature, to which notwithstanding a busy life he has given much attention. His pen has given to the world a number of volumes on Genealogy, which required great labor and re- search. Local history has interested him in every locality in which he resided.

In 1869 Dr. Betz was married to Miss Re- becca F. Weitzel, daughter of John and Nancy (Fisher) Weitzel, the former of whom lived in Fairview township, York county, and died during Mrs. Betz's infancy. Her mother died some years ago in Springetsbury township, York county, reaching almost ninety years of age.

John Weitzel, her parental grandfather, was of Dauphin county, and he was survived by his widow, Christina (Marsh) Weitzel, who was born in 1777 and died in 1850. She was buried in the Weitzel plot at Salem United Brethren Church, in Fishing Creek Valley.

John Weitzel, father of Mrs. Dr. Betz, was one of the original members of Salem Church, and was also the first person to be buried in its cemetery on the completion of the church, in 1844, in the erection of which he had taken a very active part.

Gottlieb Fisher, the maternal great-grand- father of Mrs. Dr. Betz, was an early settler of Fishing Creek Valley in York county. From Gottlieb Fisher and his wife, Ursula Fisher, sprang a large number of descendants in the upper end of the county, many of whom have removed to distant localities. His son David Fisher was the grandfather of Mrs. Betz. Seven generations of the Fisher family have been residents of York county.

Another of the sons of George Betz was Reuben Betz, a resident of Newberry town- ship, the deed to whose farm is, perhaps, thus far the oldest in the York County Historical

Society, bearing the date of 1735. His house, built of sandstone as early as 1780, was the scene of a thrilling occurrence about 1830. It was a station on the "Underground Railroad," and a fugitive slave being secreted under its hospitable roof the house was searched from cellar to garret, by the slave catchers, after they had traced their "property." The fugitive, being driven to the garret, jumped out of the east window, a height of twenty-two feet. He ran, but was brought to the ground by heavy fowling-pieces, sixteen buckshot striking him. They were extracted, and the fugitive was taken back to Virginia as a warning to curb the aspirations of freedom in the breasts of others. But he died of his wounds later.

George Betz, of the fifth generation, son of George Betz, lives in Solomon Valley, Kans., and is a prosperous farmer and stock grower. Earlier in life he was a teacher. His son, George Betz, Jr., represents the sixth generation.

Milton Betz, son of George Betz, resides near Dover, and is a successful fruit grower. One of his sons has become a resident of Nome City, Alaska.

Mrs. Eliza Garretson, daughter of George Betz, died in Newberry township some years ago, after a long affliction, in which she was tenderly cared for and nursed by her husband, Jacob Garretson.

The remaining sister, Hattie, was for a number of years a teacher in Newberry town- ship, but for a long time has been an invalid.

Six generations of the Betz family have descended from the original settler, John George Betz, and each generation save one has had a namesake of the original progenitor, al- though the name, John George, has given way to George.

Much can be said about the origin of sur- names, and it has been remarked that the man who could give the origin of geographical and biographical names would know more about a country and its people than any other who has ever lived. That is probably true, were it pos- sible, still the pursuit and study of the subject is a matter of rare interest and fascination. As regards general biographical history, the time must come when all researches in this direction will be treasured as rare and valuable acquisi- tions by those who will live in the future. Every scrap of family history will be eagerly

141

BIOGRAPHICAL

scanned by the descendants of past generations, and such biographical collections as are em- braced in volumes like the present, though necessarily brief, will have an important value. The present generation would do a noble work in making scrap books relating to personal and genealogical traits, and transmitting them to posterity. Newspapers bound in volumes would be a valuable acquisition if such volumes were preserved and handed down to the future. Owing to necessary and unavoidable changes which occur in the personnel of communities such collections too often become lost and scattered. · Historical Societies established and supported would overcome the difficulty in part, as everything of rare historic or per- sonal interest should be preserved for future reference.

America is destined to have a glorious his- tory, and it is precisely in the direction to which we have alluded that the greatest inter- est will focus. It is so in the careers of indi- viduals who rise to celebrity. We turn to their earlier years, and the most trite and common- place incidents become invaluable. Lincoln, Garfield and Mckinley are cases in point of illustration. In a country so widely extended as the United States, where constant removals are occurring, unless some such means are put in requisition it will be extremely difficult to trace relationships after a great lapse of time. European countries have possessed certain ad- vantages which are not possible under our in- stitutions. Removals there from one country to another are comparatively rare and there- fore produce no perceptible changes. The preservation of parish records, in which much of the population figures, often throws much light upon genealogical descent. But while such countries afford great facilities for re- search it must be frankly admitted that their subjects do not afford striking instances of favorable changes in worldly conditions to the extent they do in the United States. We stand upon the threshold of a mighty future. in which great possibilities are involved. This pertains not only to the aggregate, but to the individual unit, as is becoming more and more evident. Formerly the aggregate counted for much, the unit very little. . All has been changed by the growing intelligence of the age and its marvelous achievements, in which the individual has taken a leading part. This

is the outcome of free institutions, based on intelligence, and fostered and awakened by popular education. Unless the dial of progress is turned backward by some great moral con- vulsion, we believe that the coming Republic of Republics will crystallize, and become a fac- tor in the economy of the world.

ADAM S. SEITZ (deceased) was born in Shrewsbury township, Feb. 5, 1826, son of Rev. John Seitz, a local minister in the Evan- gelical Church, born March 22, 1778.

Rev. John Seitz died July 4, 1856, aged seventy-eight years, three months and twelve days. His wife, Eva Stabler (now Stabley), to whom he was married March 10, 1801, was born March 18, 1785, and died Oct. 3. 1856, aged seventy-one years, six months and six- teen days. They followed farming in Shrews- bury township, and were interred at Mt. Zion cemetery in Springfield township, near the Shrewsbury township line. They had chil- dren : Samuel, born Jan. 30, 1802; Daniel, born April 26, 1803, a sketch of whom will be found elsewhere; Jacob, born Feb. 21, 1805, died Jan. 2, 1894, aged eighty-eight years, ten months and eleven days; Catherine, born July 4. 1806; Elizabeth, born Sept, 14, 1808; George, born Oct. 20, 1810; Samuel, born Dec. 28, 1811, died May 23, 1893, aged eighty-one years, one month and twenty-one days; Chris- tine, born July 4, 1813; John, born Sept. 24, 1814; Joseph, born March 16, 1816; Noah, born May 22, 1817; Magdalena, born June 16, 1819: Catherine, born Aug. 24, 1821 ; Adam; and Benjamin, born May 15, 1827.

Adam S. Seitz spent his early life in Shrewsbury township, where he engaged in farming, later locating in Springfield township. He married Marian Miller, born Feb. 17, 1830, daughter of Michael Miller. They purchased the old Daniel Ludwig farm of 115 acres, in Shrewsbury township, near the line of Spring- field township. and there Mr. Seitz died Feb. 12, 1905, aged seventy-nine years, seven days, and was buried at Mt. Zion's Church in Spring- field township. His children were: Malinda, who died young: Sarah, who also died young : Sophia. wife of Frank Good- ling, deceased; Celesta; Catharine F .; Mel- vina : Ida, wife of George Miller of York; J. Edwin, a clerk in the York postoffice; Seth G., who attended the York County Academy, the

142

HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Westchester Normal School, and taught eleven life. He was a famous wood chopper in his years in Shrewsbury township; one that died in infancy; and Irene, who taught school in Shrewsbury township.

Politically Mr. Seitz was a Republican. On Oct. 10, 1862, he enlisted in Company B, unat- tached regiment, under Capt. Edwin J. Luthers, and was in the service until July 12, 1863. In his religious belief he was a member of the Evangelical Church, in which he always took an active part.

JOHN WESLEY GABLE comes of a family long settled in York county. He is a grandson of Jacob Gable, who is mentioned elsewhere.

Jacob Gable, father of John Wesley, was a native of Chanceford township, York coun- ty, where he was born early in the nineteenth century. He had little schooling, and began his life work of farming in his boyhood. His marriage to Anna Maria Jackson took place in Upper Windsor, York county, and they set- tled on the tarm where they passed the re- mainder of their lives. They were Evangelical in their religious faith, and lived to a good old age. Mrs. Gable died in 1892, at the age of seventy-nine, and her husband in 1893, at the age of eighty-two. Their children were as follows : Elizabeth, who married Henry Kreidler, of Jacobus, York county; Priscilla, who married John Snyder, and died in York township; Samuel, who married Amanda Overmiller, and lived at Loganville, York county ; Mary, who married William Lehman, of York county; Jacob, who married Barbara Dehoff; John Wesley, who is mentioned be- low; Sarah, who married William Shearer, of York; Amanda, who married J. S. Billet, of York; and George F., who married Melinda Hively, and lives in Hellam, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere. Jacob Gable, father of this family, was all his life a stanch adherent of the Republican party.

Anna Maria (Jackson) Gable, wife of Jacob, was a daughter of Abraham and Pris- cilla (Clayton) Jackson, both natives of Mary- land, and the latter of English descent. Abra- ham Jackson was born Nov. 20, 1783, was a soldier in the Mexican war, and at its close moved from Maryland to Upper Windsor, York county, where he spent the rest of his

day, and could cut and split more wood in a given time than any other man in the region. He lived to be ninety-two years of age, and his wife reached the age of ninety, both dying at the home of their son-in-law, Jacob Gable, where they had lived for nearly a quarter of a century. They had the following children : Abraham, who died young; Anna Maria, born April 18, 1813, who married Jacob Gable; Henrietta, born May 2, 1815, who died in childhood; Joseph Addison, born April 22, 1817, who died in Millersburg, Pa .; Granville, born May 22, 1819, who was a minister of the Gospel, and died in Springfield township, York county ; Mary, who married Levi Knaub, and died in Upper Windsor township; Priscilla, born Sept. 25, 1823, who married John Wal- ker, and died in York; Hannah, born Dec. 6, 1825, who married John Fried, and lives in Spring Garden, York county; William, de- ceased, who was born Oct. 16, 1826; and John, born Dec. 9, 1830, who died in Allegheny City, Pennsylvania.

John Wesley Gable was born on the home farm in Upper Windsor, June 4, 1844, and as a child attended school in that township. When a mere boy he could do a man's work at crad- ling and binding wheat and oats, holding his own with the best. At the age of fourteen he left home and went to work as a clerk in the store of Alexander Blessing, at Hellam, where he remained a year, and during the following three years held a position as clerk with M. W. Bahn, in his store and freight room connected with the postoffice at New Freedom. With the money earned in that way he was enabled to spend six months in study with Messrs. Heiges & Boyd, of York, then went to Poughkeepsie, N. Y., and took a course in the Eastman Business College. Returning to the employ of Mr. Bahn for another two years, he next came back to Hellam, and went into busi- ness with J. A. Blessing in the same store where he had begun life as a clerk. The part- nership continued a year, after which Mr. Gable took entire charge of the business for four years. He then leased the store for five years, but there being only a verbal agreement Mr. Blessing. at the end of the second year, refused to allow him the further use of the building. Mr. Gable, who had just com-

143

BIOGRAPHICAL

pleted a fine residence, was not anxious to

not enough trade to support two stores in the place. In his difficulty he took the advice of a friend, David Stoner, a Dunkard preacher, who said to him : "Johnnie, you could always make money ; go in and win, and build." His suc- cess has proved the wisdom of this advice. For over thirty years Mr. Gable carried on a cigar manufacturing business, as well as his store, but has now withdrawn from both.

John Wesley Gable married in Hellam, Sept. 25, 1875, Elizabeth M. Hiestand, daugh- ter of Henry and Susan (Loucks) Hiestand. They have had two children : Susan H., who married Harry E. Frank, of York, and is the mother of two boys, John Gable and Henry Hiestand; and Chauncey, who died in in- fancy.

Mr. Gable served as postmaster at Hellam from 1875 until Cleveland's first administra- tion ; he was re-appointed under Harrison; out again during Cleveland's second term; again re-appointed by Mckinley, and holds the po- sition today. When he first became postmaster there were two mails a week at his office; he soon succeeded in having a daily mail, and in less than two years there were two mails each day. At present five daily mails are received, and six sent out.

Mr. Gable owns considerable property, in- cluding two fine farms, one of 120 acres in Hellam township, and one of 114 acres in Springetsbury township. He also owns a ten acre lot near Hellam, and fifteen acres of woodland in Hellam, on which is the historic Chimney Rock. He still owns the store which he built on the advice of his preacher friend, and the house and lot adjoining; he has prop- erty in York, on College avenue, and at the cor- ner of Girard street and the plank road. In Hellam he owns eight fine building lots, and his beautiful home is surrounded by four acres of ground.

For three years Mr. Gable served as a school director. He is one of the directors of the York County Bank, of York, Pa. In politics he has always been a Republican. He and his wife are earnest workers in the Lu- theran Church, of which Mr. Gable is an elder. and president and treasurer of the church coun- cil. He has been superintendent of the Sun- day-school for twenty-five years.

WILLIAM H. MINNICH, M. D. In the build a new store, and also feared there was great competitive struggle of life, where each must enter the field and fight his way to the front or else be overtaken by disaster of time or place, there is ever particular interest at- taching to the life of one who has turned the tide of success, has proceeded onward in a confident and positive way, overcoming dif- ficulties and grappling with adverse circum- stance, until he has gained the end sought and shown his ability to cope with others in their rush for the coveted goal. Dr. Minnich has been in a significant sense the architect of his own fortunes, having been dependent to a large extent upon his own resources from his boy- hood days, while he has pressed steadily for- ward to the mark of the high calling to which he set himself, while through his fidelity to trust, his deep humanitarian spirit and his defi- nite accomplishment in one of the most exact- ing of professions, he stands forth as a type ' of that sterling American manhood which our nation delights to honor, from the fact that honor is due. Dr. Minnich is a scion of stanch pioneer stock in York county, with whose an- nals the name has been linked for more than a century, and in this county he has passed essen- tially his entire life thus far, while his stand- ing in the community is such as to set at naught the application of the Biblical aphorism that "a prophet is not without honor save in his own country." The genealogical history is given elsewhere.

William Henry Minnich was born in Dal- lastown, York township, this county, Sept. 30, 1864, son of Granville and Mary (Spatz) Min- nich, both of whom are deceased, the former having died when the Doctor was a child of about two years, in 1866, while the devoted mother was summoned to the land of the leal in 1874, both having passed their entire lives in York county, where the father followed the vo- cation of laborer until the time of his demise.

Granville Minnich was born in the year 1818 and was a son of John and Mary ( Mit- chell) Minnich, who also passed their entire lives in York county, while of their children the following, besides Granville, attained to years of maturity: Jonathan and Isaac, who died in this county; Michael, who resides in Yorkana, this county ; Susan, wife of Frederick Menkedick, of Baden Baden, Germany; and Caroline, widow of Harrison Keesey, and re- siding in Dallastown, Pa. Regarding the

144

HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

brothers and sisters of Mary (Spatz) Min- nich, mother of the Doctor, the following data are available: Jacob F., William Joshua and Benjamin are deceised; Julia is the widow of Frederick Fix, and resides in Dallastown; Ly- dia is the wife of Tobias Eberley, of Arbor; and Elizabeth, who became the wife of Zach- ariah Taylor, is deceased. To Granville and Mary Minnich were born only the two children, of whom the elder is John W., the well known banker and manufacturer of Dallastown.

Dr. Minnich was deprived of a father's care when he was but two years old, and he was but ten years of age when his devoted mother was likewise called to the life eternal, so that in a large measure he had to shift for himself when a mere boy, as did also his brother, who has likewise attained to noteworthy success and honor. Our subject's early educational advantages were meager in scope, being limited to a somewhat desultory attendance in the pub- lic schools of his native township, but through personal application and determinate efforts he has not only gained a liberal academic educa- tion, but also a high standing in one of the learned professions, showing how effectually he has overcome the early handicap. In his youthful years he attended the public school at Adamsville during the winter terms, while in the meanwhile he worked at the cigarmaker's trade in order to provide for his maintenance. Determined to prepare himself for a wider plane of endeavor, he bent all his energies to the accomplishing of his purpose. In 1885 he began reading medicine under the able pre- ceptorship of the late Dr. A. P. T. Grove, of Dallastown, with whom he remained one year, while during 1886 he continued his studies at home. In the autumn of 1887 he was matri- culated in the Baltimore Medical College, Bal- timore, Md., where he completed the prescribed technical course. Soon afterward he entered the College of Physicians & Surgeons, in the same city, where he took two courses, being graduated in 1890, and receiving honorable mention, together with the supplemental de- gree of Doctor of Medicine. Having thus fortified himself most effectively for the active work of his chosen profession, Dr. Minnich lo- cated in Windsorville, York county, in 1891, while in the following year he removed to Ja- cobus, where he built up a representative prac- tice, continuing his residence there until 1895,

when he came to Dallastown, where he has since maintained his home and professional headquarters, and where he has been retained as physician to many of the representative fam- ilies of that section. He has met with gratify- ing success in his labors here, is recognized as one of the representative physicians and sur- geons of his native county, and is held in high esteem in professional, business and social cir- cles. The Doctor is a member of the American Medical Association and the York County Medical Society, while in a social way he is affiliated with the Improved Order of Hepta- sophs, the Modern Woodmen of America and the Fraternal Order of Eagles. In politics he is found aligned as a stanch supporter of the principles of the Democratic party, and he has ever - shown a loyal interest in all that has touched the civic and material welfare of his home city. He has been active and zealous as a member of the Dallastown board of education since 1900.

Dr. Minnich, on May 1, 1894, was joined in marriage to Miss Elizabeth E. Crist, daugh- ter of Michael and Susan (Rohrbaugh) Crist, of York New Salem. Two children have blessed this union: Janet and Mary. Mrs. Minnich is a member of the Reformed Church, and the Doctor of the United Brethren.

GEMMILL. The Gemmills are of a very old Scottish line which has been known in the western part of Scotland since the year 1200 A. D. They seem to have been a family of strong and courageous nature. History re- cords the burning of a Ralph Gemmill at the stake during the persecutions of the Christians in the old country. A now fallen monument erected in Scotland to the memory of Chris- tian martyrs who fell July 20, 1680, bears the name amongst others of a John Gemmill. The first John Gemmill of whom we have any record was martyred by Claverhouse at Kil- marnock in the latter part of the 17th century.

A John Gemmill of the sixth generation from this martyred John Gemmill came from Kilmarnock, Scotland, about 1750, and settled near Carlisle, Pa., where he married Elizabeth Porter in 1758. He was a clock and watch- maker, having learned his trade in Glasgow, Scotland. While living near Carlisle he made a beautiful grandfather's clock for William Gem- mil, of York county, which still remains at what

145

BIOGRAPHICAL

was the old homestead of the latter. On the face of this clock is a large raised silver plate, on which is handsomely engraved, "John Gem- mill, Carlisle, Fecit." Having been burned out about 1765, he moved to the Juniata valley, and was buried at Lewiston, Pa. His son, the seventh John Gemmill, was born Nov. 12, 1759. The eldest son was always named Jolin to perpetuate the name.

Capt. Hugh Gemmill, son of Zachariah and Janet (McBride) Gemmill, born in Irvine, Scotland, in 1766, came to this county when quite young. In 1793 he commanded the ship "McGilvary," an American vessel, sailing from Baltimore. This being at the time of the French revolution, and during The Reign of Terror, his ship was seized and carried into the port at Brest. The owners made claim for damages and recently were granted some money, under what are known as the French Spoliation Claims. Capt. Gemmill afterward settled in Somerset county, Md. He married (first) Ann Handy, and after her death Jane Wilson. Later he moved to Newcastle county, Del. He was a stanch Presbyterian elder, and was buried in the old churchyard at Christiana, Delaware. He had a large family.

William Gemmill, according to a faint tra- dition a brotlier of the John Gemmill referred to previously, was born in Scotland in 1722. He came to this country and settled in what is now East Hopewell township, York Co., Pa., about 1745. We first find him located about

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 26

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