History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume II, Part 31

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

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Jacob Miller, son of Michael, was born on the homestead in Windsor township, and was a lifelong farmer. He bought the old home from his father and lived there till he was sixty-five, when he retired to Red Lion, and gave up all active part in affairs for the ten years intervening before his death in 1895. A member of the Reformed Church, he was al- ways prominent in its work and filled various church offices. A Republican in politics, he was elected to several township positions. Mr. Miller married Miss Mary Ann Anstine, who was born and brought up in Lower Wind- sor township. Her father was George An- stine, a Revolutionary soldier, and her moth- er's maiden name was Smith. Mrs. Miller bore her husband ten children, of whom three died in infancy. The others were : Catherine, Mrs. Jacob Flinchbaugh. of Red Lion; Will- iam H., deceased; Malinda, Mrs. Pius Kersey, of Dallastown : Eliza Jane ; Ellen, wife of Rev. G. Grover, of Stark county, Ohio; Jacob A., of Red Lion ; and David A.

David A. Miller was born on his father's

farm in 1849, and lived there till he was eight- een years old, attending the Miller school. His first teacher was Mr. Hollinger, while he fin- ished under Miss Annie Dietz. Jacob Miller was an almost daily visitor at school during the sessions of four and five months, and kept careful watch to insure his children's studying. hard, and improving every moment. The teachers boarded in the family, and additional help was given to the youthftil students in the evening.

At the age of eighteen David A. Miller left home to go into the tanning and currying establishment of J. Klump, of Marietta, Pa., and then, after two years there, went west to Canton, Ohio, where he worked as a journey- man. The next year was spent in the lumber camps of Michigan, whence he made his way to Lincoln, Nebraska, and there secured em- ployment from the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad, in laying the track to Den- ver. This occupied him for six months, the next three were spent in grading the road from Georgetown, Colo., to Deadwood, and then for two years and a half he traveled about taking any employment he could get, and mak- ing his way finally down along the Pacific Coast to Mexico. He never had any difficulty in securing work for he was a good mechanic and could turn his hand to anything. In 1882 Mr. Miller returned home and became a part- ner with his brother, J. A. Miller, who was running a general store, grain elevator and lumber yard. After three years' experience with him David A. Miller went into business for himself, opening the first bakery in Red Lion, and conducted it for four years. His next enterprise was in a cigar and leaf tobacco business in the same city, and there, three years later, in 1897, he opened the general store which has ever since absorbed most of his at- tention. He is wide awake and progressive. and his store is the largest of its kind in town.

Mr. Miller was united to his wife, whose maiden name was Agnes S. Dietz, in May, 1886. Mrs. Miller was a daughter of the late Jacob Dietz, of Hellam township, and his wife Sarah (Louck) Dietz. One son, Luther, was horn to Mr. and Mrs. Miller, but he died in in- fancy. Mr. Miller is a member of the Re- formed Church. Politically he is a Republi- can. He was one of the organizers of the Farmers and Merchants Bank, and has been a director in it ever since.

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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

CAPT. GEORGE GRAYBILL belongs to an old York county family, being the grand- son of Joseph Graybill, who was a distiller and the owner of several farms in West Man- chester township, and who, in his earlier man- hood, carried freight by wagon to Baltimore. Captain Graybill's father, Samuel Graybill, who died in 1882, aged seventy-three years, was a farmer for many years and for the last fifteen years of his life, a horticulturist, hav. ing been an extensive fruit grower near York.

Captain Graybill has had a very remark- able military career. He is the possessor of six military commissions, one of them, his captain's commission, having been signed by the late Matthew Stanley Quay, when Secre- tary of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and his first commission during the war was signed by the late Charles A. Dana the as- sistant secretary of war. Captain Graybill enlisted in the Union army, in the War of the Rebellion, when only sixteen years old and was a commissioned officer before he was twenty, serving gallantly in Gen. John F. Hartranft's Third Division. He was commis- sioned first lieutenant of the York Zouaves, on Dec. 2, 1873. the commission being signed by John F. Hartranft and M. S. Quay. These Zouaves afterward became Company A, 8th P. N. G., Captain Graybill commanding, and of this regiment he became quartermaster, serv- ing seven years in the National Guard; earlier he had been inspector general of the Fourth Di- vision. During the war Capt. Graybill partici- pated in many battles, and no soldier bears a better record.

Next to his military career. Capt. Gray- bill has reason to be proud of his record as a volunteer fireman of York. He was one of the organizers of the Rescue Fire Company, of York, of which he was president for some years, and he also organized the Firemens Union, of York, of which he was also president for a time. The forming of this union gave the volunteer fire department of York its present solidity, and with all the diplomacy of which Capt. Graybill is possessed, it kept him busy for six months in getting the several fire com- panies of York together. Capt. Graybill was also honored with the presidency of the State Firemen's Association in 1885-86, and has in his office the complimentary resolution passed by that body at the close of his term of office.

But it is not only in the fields of war, fire matters and insurance that Capt. Graybill is known, but also in the field of invention, he being the inventor of the Graybill Electro-Med- ico, a device for administering medicines by means of the electric current ( Patented, 1901), and also of the Rheostat, a device for control- ling electric currents (Patented Feb. 9, 1904).

Capt. Graybill was married, Dec. 10, 1874, to Anna M. Detwiler, daughter of David Det- wiler, a farmer and capitalist of Wrightsville, who died Dec. 14, 1898, in his eighty-first year. One daughter was born of this union, Sarah, who died in August, 1876, aged ten months.

Capt. Graybill controls one of the most ex- tensive insurance agencies in the interior of the State. He represents six fire insurance companies ; two life insurance companies-the New England Mutual and the Travelers ; and one plate glass company. The stability of his companies and his own reputation for integrity have brought him a very extensive business.

ADAM KOHLER, who for nearly forty years has been identified with the business life of Dallastown, is a native of Pennsylvania, born in York county Jan. 1, 1842, son of Ja- cob and Mary (Sechrist ) Kohler. He was one of a large family, having five brothers and three sisters, as follows: George and Eli, de- ceased; Jacob, of Nashville. York county; John, a farmer in Chanceford township; Charles, a cigar box manufacturer in Dallas- town; Mary, Mrs. Reuben E. Beard, of Phila- delphia ; Leah, deceased, who married (first) Henry Neff and (second) William Snyder ; and Cassandra, deceased wife of Henry Myers, of Red Lion.

Adam Kohler was sent first to the public schools of York township, and when he had completed that preparatory course attended Cottage Hill College, York, where he was under the preceptorship of Prof. S. B. Heiges. After leaving the college he taught in his own township for seven terms and another in Dal- lastown, but he never adopted teaching as a permanent employment, and about 1866 en- gaged in business in Dallastown as a general merchant. For the next twenty years he was thus occupied. and during part of the time also conducted a cigar factory and carriage busi- ness, but in 1886 he disposed of his other in-

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terests, and has ever since devoted his atten- tion exclusively to manufacturing cigars.

On May 28, 1870, Mr. Kohler was united in matrimony to Miss Alice Geesey, daughter of Samuel and Sallie ( Reachard) Geesey, of York township. To this union six children have been born, namely : Claudia Estella, Mrs. Halbert Bayler, of York City; Lillie May; Al- verta Bell; Mabel Garland; Leona R .; and Howard Lee, who is in business with his father.

Mr. Kohler is a man of varied interests. He is a member of the school board, belongs to the I. O. O. F., Dallas Lodge, No. 1017, and his church associations are with Christ Evan- gelical Lutheran Church, of which he is a trustee. He is also an old army man, having enlisted in 1865 in Company G, 103d P. V. I., and served until the close of the war. For forty-two years Mr. Kohler has been well- known in connection with the Dallastown Band, one of the oldest musical organizations in the State, which he formed in 1862. This band has furnished music on many notable occa- sions, one of which was the funeral of Presi- dent Lincoln, in 1865, when Mr. Kohler was chosen to act as bugler. In all the relations of life he is highly esteemed and possesses the respect of his fellow citizens.

REV. WILLIAM HENRY EHRHART, a Lutheran minister of Codorus township, hold- ing the Jefferson charge, comes from one of York county's early families.

William Ehrhart, his father, was, born in Shrewsbury township, York Co., Pa., Oct. 18, 1830, son of William and Ablena ( Runk) Ehr- hart and grandson of William and Susanna Ehrhart. William and Ablena (Runk) Ehr- hart had three sons and four daughters, name- ly: William, father of our subject, who was the last survivor of the family; Emanuel ; Henry; Mary; Maria, who married Peter Ful- ccmer; Eliza, who married Harry Zeck, and Lucinda, who married Harry Gladfelter.

father Feb. 6, 1906. During his boyhood Will- iam Ehrhart attended the pay school in his na- tive township, and after leaving school he went to work at farming, which was his occupation throughout his active years. He lived in York township until April 1, 1903, when he re- tired and moved to Dallastown.

William H. Ehrhart was born in York township Oct. 26, 1861. He first attended the township schools, then the York County Aca- demy, and in 1884 was studying at Millers- ville, Lancaster county. After teaching in Dal- lastown and York township six terms he spent a year and a half at the drug business in Phila- delphia, and then resumed his studies. He graduated from Pennsylvania College, in Gettysburg, in 1893, and from the Lutheran Theological Seminary with the class of 1896. His first charge was at Silver Run, Carroll Co., Md., where he remained seven years, and in the fall of 1903 he came to his present charge, known as the Jefferson; it includes four churches, the St. Jacob's (or Stone) Church, Trinity, Zion and Bethlehem. Rev. Mr. Ehr- hart is an earnest and conscientious worker, and is doing good service in the congregations under his care, where he has made many friends and gained much influence.

Rev. Mr. Ehrhart married Emma A. Strine, daughter of Hon. E. Z. Strine, and they have two children, Janet Elizabeth and Kenneth Strine.

HON. E. Z. STRINE, an ex-member of the House of Representatives of Pennsylvania, and a prominent lawyer, was born in Strinestown, Conewago township, June II, 1842, a son of Peter S. and Margaret (Zeigler) Strine. Peter S. Strine was born in Conewago township in 1815, and his wife in Codorus township in 1817. He died in 1854, and is buried in Union cemetery, Manchester borough, but the mother survived some time and resided on the old homestead at Strinestown, until her death, at- taining an advanced age. Both were Dunk- ards, and gave their son a religious training from childhood. The great-grandfather, Peter Strine, a native of Germany, settled in Amer- ica during the middle of the eighteenth century and served under Gen. Washington in the Rev- olution. Margaret (Zeigler) Strine's parents were of German descent, her father, Daniel

In February, 1854, William Ehrhart mar- ried Eliza Stump, daughter of John and Mar- garet (Hall) Stump, and the following chil- dren were born to them: William Henry ; Benjamin; Adam A., a farmer of York town- ship; Jesse : John, Lucy and Elizabeth, all three deceased ; and Catherine, who is unmarried and resided with her father in Dallastown. The Zeigler, serving as a soldier in the defense of mother passed away April 22, 1902, and the Baltimore in the war of 1812-14.

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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Hon. E. Z. Strine was employed on a farm have two children, Emma A. and Ulysses S. during his youth. He was educated in the com- Grant. The parents are members of Trinity Reformed Church of York. mon schools and ranked high as a scholar. He came to York in March, 1862, and was in the mercantile business until 1872, when he started as a law student in E. D. Zeigler's office. On Feb. 24, 1873, he was admitted to the Bar in York county, and since that time has been en- gaged in successful practice. He has been prominent in politics as a Democrat for thirty years, and in 1886 was elected a member of the House.

Mr. Strine has always taken great interest in military affairs, and has the rank of cap- tain. He left York for Gettysburg July 1, 1863, to march with the 5th Corps, Union army, and the Pennsylvania Reserve Corps, from Hanover to Gettysburg during the night of the Ist of July, arriving on the Gettysburg field on the morning of July 2d. He was pres- ent with the troops and saw the second day's battle. On July 3d, he was taken prisoner by the Federal forces as a Confederate spy, but after the military authorities heard the evidence offered and had proof of identification he was released. On July 12, 1866, he was commis- sioned second lieutenant of the Zeigler Guards of York; May 12, 1868, first lieutenant of the Worth Infantry of York, and July 12, 1869, was made its captain ; he became captain of York Continental Rifles, late Company C, 8th Regiment, N. G. P., on the 10th day of Octo- ber, 1870, he organized the York Grays July 4, 1875, and was commissioned captain of York Grays, Company A, 8th Regiment, N. G. P. He was recommissioned a number of times, and served until July 12, 1893, when he resigned, his name being placed on the roll of honor by order of Gov. Robert E. Pattison. He was present with his company and assisted in suppressing the Homestead riot.

Ulysses S. G. Strine, who married Amanda Waring, daughter of George W. and Maria (Grim) Waring, was previously a student at York County Academy and was graduated from the York Collegiate Institute with the class of 1887. He was first sergeant of Com- pany A, 8th Regiment, N. G. P., from May, 1884, to 1894, and was present with his com- pany at the Homestead Riot of 1902. He is now engaged in mercantile business. The fath- er of Mrs. Strine was born in Franklinville, Cattaraugus Co., N. Y., and her mother in Dal- lastown, York Co., Pa. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. U. S. G. Strine, Janet Waring and Frances Lois.

JOHN S. TRONE, former county re- corder of York county, and at the present time serving Heidelberg township as justice of the peace, comes from one of the pioneer families of the county. He was born in Heidelberg township, in 1856, son of John B. Trone, grandson of George, great-grandson of Abra- ham, , and great-great-grandson of John Trone, who came from Germany and settled in Heidelberg township.

In Heidelberg township John Trone re- ceived a grant of 250 acres of land, from Thomas Penn, March 31, 1762, recorded at Philadelphia, Pat. A. A., Vol. 3, page 155, with full claim and title, as follows: "Thomas Penn to George Trone; George Trone's heirs to John Trone; John Trone to Abraham Trone: Abraham Trone to George Trone; Sarah Trone's Heirs to George Trone : George Trone to Samuel and John B. Trone; Samuel and John B. Trone and wife to Adam Smith; Adam Smith to Reuben Sheffer ; Reuben Shef- fer to John B. Trone. Second part of tract : Daniel Forry to Andrew E. Rudisill; Andrew John S. Trone, executors, to Alexander Beeker; Alexander Beeker to John S. Trone, March 31, 1892." The land is situated in Manheim township, now the central part of Heidelberg township, near Smith's Station, along the Western Maryland Railroad.

Mr. Strine was married in 1865 to Adaline Elizabeth Dehoff, a daughter of Amos M. and Emaline (Stambaugh) Dehoff. Mrs. Strine. E. Rudisill to John B. Trone; Anna B. and was born in West Manchester township Jan. 4, 1846. Her great-grandfather was George Philip Dehoff, who was a Frenchman and set- tled in America during the eighteenth century. He served in the Revolutionary war under Gen. Washington, participating in a number of bat- tles, among them those of the Brandywine and Abraham Trone, son of John, carried on agricultural pursuits on this farm, and also served in the Revolutionary war. He was Trenton, and also was at Valley Forge during the winter of 1777-78. Mr. and Mrs. Strine

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BIOGRAPHICAL

twice married and had a family of seven chil- interest therein. He is connected as director dren.

George Trone, son of Abraham, was the grandfather of our subject. He followed Mr. Trone married Lena Hamm. daugh- farming, and was a Mennonite minister. He ter of Jacob L. and Susan Hamm, and to this married, and both he and his wife died on the union these children have been born : Minerva ; old home. Their children were: Abraham, Samuel, Joseph, John B., George, Mary, Re- becca, Elizabeth, Kate and Sarah.

John B. Trone was born Aug. 27, 1827, on the old homestead. He received a com- mon school education, and at the age of eight- een years began the blacksmithing business, which he followed at Trone's Stand, Smith's Station, for twenty-two years. He married first Eliza Shutt, daughter of Joseph Shutt, by whom he had five children, Valentine, Frank- lin, John S., Lizzie and Mary. Mr. Trone married (second) May 20, 1866, Annie Rohr- baugh, daughter of George and Sarah Rohr- baugh, and to this union six children were born: Charles, Joseph, George, one that died in infancy, Sarah and Alla Mary. The greater part of Mr. Trone's life was spent in farming on his tract in Heidelberg township, where he died aged fifty-eight years. He was a member of the German Reformed Church, in which he took an active part. Politically he was a Dem- ocrat, and held a number of township offices.

John S. Trone attended the township schools, the graded school at Hanover and the academy at Glen Rock, and at the age of seven- teen years began teaching, in which he con- tinued for nine years. He then engaged in the mercantile business, at Smith's Station, where he remained eight years. In 1884 he was elected justice of the peace and has held that office to the present time. In 1890 he was elected recorder of York county on the Democratic ticket, his majority being 4403, one of the largest ever received in the county. He filled that office to the satisfaction of all for three years, and was then appointed deputy recorder and deputy registrar of York coun- ey, serving for three years and eight months. He is one of York county's best known men, and is very popular with all. He is now en- gaged in the machine and fertilizer business at Smith's Station, and owns the old home of sixty-three acres of land, which is one of the oldest farms in the county. Politically Mr. Trone is a Democrat. He is a member of the German Reformed Church, and takes a great

with the Hartley Fire Insurance Company, which company's main office is in York.

Curtis H .; Amy, the wife of Charles Trone, of Hanover, Pa .; Daisy, wife of Curtis Strawsbaugh, residing in York; Stanley and Ray.

ADAM E. KOHR, of Hanover, former worthy justice of the peace, and present mem- ber of the Legislature, was born in Man- chester township Feb. 20, 1865, son of Lewis and Lena (Witrecht) Kohr, and paternal grandson of L. and Rebecca (Westheffer) Kohr, and maternal grandson of John and Christina (Weigle) Witrecht.

The Kohrs are among the oldest and best known families of the county, the original an- cestor having migrated from Switzerland. The paternal grandfather of Adam E., was a na- tive of Manchester township, and one of its most prosperous farmers. His son Lewis, the father of Adam E., was born in York county Oct. 16, 1840. He was a farmer by occupa- tion but became a minister of the United Brethren Church, devoting to his religious calling over thirty years. He is still living and still engaged in the consecrated work of the ministry. His wife Lena was also a na- tive of York county, where she was born Jan. I, 1844.

Adam E. Kohr received his education in the district schools, where he prepared him- self for admission to Lebanon Valley College at Annville, Pa. Entering this institution he pursued his studies for some time, after which, in the autumn of 1882, he began a career as a school teacher, which he continued for nine years in various country and village schools of York county. Mr. Kohr moved to Han- over in 1894 and has since continued one of the public-spirited and enterprising profes- sional men of the city. In 1896 he was chos- en city engineer, which position he has since held. He was elected in 1898 a justice of the peace on the Democratic ticket for a term of five years, and re-elected in 1903, resigning the office in 1906, after having been elected to the State Legislature. He has been actively affiliated with the Democratic party

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since he became a voter, and has always taken a deep interest in local and county politics. He is a prominent member of the P. O. S. of A., and of the Modern Woodmen of America. In 1886 Mr. Kohr married Laura I. Smith, daughter of Michael and Maria Smith, both her parents being now deceased. To Mr. and Mrs. Kohr have been born five children, namely: Olive Joyce, E. Lane, Miriam Sapporah, John and Mary.

FRANKLIN P. DIETZ, one of the rep- resentative citizens of York county, which has been his home from the time of his birth, and with whose industrial and civic affairs he has for many years been prominently identified, has long operated a well-equipped flouring-mill in York township, and though at the present time he is practically retired from active labor he is giving his supervision to his various industrial and capitalistic interests, including which may be mentioned the York Water Company and the York National Bank of York, Pennsyl- vania.

Mr. Dietz was born in Hellam township, this county, Jan. 18, 1847, and is a scion of one of the honored pioneer families of this section of the old Keystone State. His grandfather, Jacob Dietz, who was of stanch German lin- eage, settled near the present village of Stony- brook, in Spring Garden township, this county, where he took up a large tract of wild land, a portion of which he placed under cultivation in course of time. He also operated a distil- lery for a number of years, thus following a line of industry which was one of prominence here in the pioneer era. He continued to re- side here until his death, and his remains lie at rest in the family cemetery in Hellam town- ship. Of his children, George died at the home- stead; Joseph died in Windsor township; Sam- uel and Jacob died in Spring Garden township; John was the father of Franklin P .; Sarah be- came the wife of Harry Neiman, and died in Manchester township; Mrs. Michael Blessing died in Manchester, this county; Magdalena, wife of Frederick Schatzberger, died in East York; Polly, wife of Jacob Lehman, died in Hellam township, as did also Catherine, who was unmarried.

John Dietz, father of Franklin P., was born in Spring Garden township. He availed him- self of the advantages of the common schools

of the locality and period, and assisted in the work of reclaiming and cultivating the home- stead farm, and also in the operation of the distillery. He finally became the owner of a valuable farm in Hellam township, where he continued to be actively identified with agri- cultural pursuits for about two score years. He finally purchased a residence and distilling property in Wrightsville, where he maintained his home for about three years, after which he returned to the farm, and there remained for the ensuing fifteen years. Then he returned to Wrightsville, where he passed the closing years of his life, attaining the age of sixty-five years, and his remains were interred in the family cemetery in Hellam township. John Dietz married Miss Susan Luttman, who was born and reared in this county, and she died, in Hel- lam township, at the age of sixty-eight years. being laid to rest beside her husband. Of their two children, Franklin P. is the younger; his sister, Rachel, who was the wife of David W. Graybill, a farmer of Hellam township, died there in 1894.

The mill owned by Franklin P. Dietz is located in the southern section of York town- ship, and has been in operation for the greater portion of the time since 1832, when the pres- ent substantial building of stone and brick was erected. It is still in an excellent state of pres- ervation, while it is conspicuous as one of the landmarks of the county. During his residence there Mr. Dietz built a commodious modern home, now occupied by one of his sons, who has charge of the mill and the surrounding farm, which comprises eighty-four acres of fine land, under a high state of cultivation. Mr. Dietz has maintained his home at Dietz's since 1875, owning there a most attractive mod- ern residence. In politics he has ever accorded a stanch allegiance to the Democratic party, and has been prominent in local affairs. At the time of this writing he is incumbent of the office of auditor of York township. He and his wife are valued members of the Reformed Church at Jacobus, in which he has served as deacon, and he was a member of the building committee which had in charge the erection of the present church edifice. He is a stock- holder in the York National Bank, and has been a member of its directorate since Febru- ary. 1903, and he is a stockholder in the York Water Company.

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History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume II, Part 31

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