History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume II, Part 49

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

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Mr. Sidle married Miss Amelia Lutz, and Barbara married Charles Rhinehart; Catherine

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married Rev. Lauer, the United Presbyterian clergyman, at Evansville, Ind .; Rebecca mar- ried Sam Gladfelter, of Fulton county; Martha died young; John F. married Margaret Mc- Neal; Samuel F .; Martin F. married Julia Ann Parks; Andrew G. married Rebecca Slates ; Daniel Levi married Isabella Foust.

Samuel F. Grissinger was born in 1823, in Lewisberry, where he received a common- school education. In 1843 he married Mary McNeal of Huntingdon county. Mr. Griss- inger owned a farm in this county of 140 acres, near Three Springs, which he later sold. In 1870 he purchased a farm in Fulton county, which he worked until his death in 1900, his wife dying six months prior. Their children were: William John; Martin A. died in 1886; James Levi, living in Fulton county, married Elizabeth Brightenstine, deceased; Margaret Jane married Oliver Ezra Cook, a prominent

To the Rev. Mr. Grissinger and his wife the following children have been born : Samuel C., who married Emma Cannon, of Highspire, Dauphin Co., Pa .; B. Frank, whose sketch will farmer at Cook's Station, Huntingdon county; be found elsewhere; Clarence Rudolph ; Carrie Mary Ellen married John Ehrenfield, whose Alice Juanita, living at home : and Oliver L., engaged with his brother, B. Frank, and mar- ried to Mabel A. Swartz. brother is the supervisor of a branch of the Pennsylvania railroad at Crescent, Blair coun- ty ; Rebecca E. married J. Franklin Pierce Mc- Clain ; Julia Bell married C. H. E. Plumer, and lives at North Point, Huntingdon county ; Rachel Alice died at the age of eighteen years ; and Frances E. Etta married John Ramsay, and lives at Altoona.

William John Grissinger received his first schooling in Huntingdon county, afterward taking one term in a graded school under Pro- fessor Miller. He then went to Millersville, Lancaster county, for the terms of 1863-64, and later taught school in Indiana. From there he went to Illinois where he engaged in farming, and was married at Mt. Carroll, Ill., in 1865, to Catherine Chitty, daughter of Benjamin and Eliza (Templeman) Chitty. Here Mr. Gris- singer followed farming for four years, and en- gaged in well drilling for one year. In 1869 he located in Pennsylvania, and took up school teaching, and in the following year his father bought a store, in which the son clerked for seven years. At the age of thirty years, Mr. Grissinger began studying for the ministry, and in 1876 was licensed and ordained a minister of the Church of God. His first charge was at Newport, Perry county, in 1876, where he served two years, and his charges were as fol- lows : Clearfield Mission, at Clearfield, for one year; Newville and Plainfield, Cumberland

county, two years; Newport, for six months ; Goldsboro and Newberrytown, Yocumtown and Smoketown, for three years; Landisburg, three years; Elizabethtown, Lancaster county, two years; Mount Joy, three years; Altoona, four years; Harrisburg, two years; Goldsboro, three more years, and in 1900 he took charge of the West Poplar Street Church, where he remained until 1904. On Feb. 1, 1905, the Rev. Mr. Grissinger engaged in the mercantile business at No. 227 East Philadelphia street, buying out the business of the Rev. Long, and he continued in business until September of the same year, closing out and returning to the min- istry; his present charge is Hanover, York county.

FREDERICK STALLMAN (deceased). Probably no man was better or more favorably known to the people of York, Pa., than was the late Frederick Stallman, father of the "Na- tional Hotel," and the Masonic Hall, one of the most extensive cattle dealers in this section of the country, and a reliable and representative citizen. His death, which came as a shock to his great number of friends and acquaintances, occurred at his home No. 106 West Market street, York, at five o'clock in the morning of Feb. 27, 1890.

Mr. Stallman was born Dec. 26, 1820, at Hanover, Germany, and came to the United States when he was ten years old. He learned the butchering business, in which he became so successful, shipping large numbers of cattle to Europe. He bought very extensively in the South, driving his herds to the Northern mark- ets. Mr. Stallman had the distinction of be- ing one of the first to ship cattle from Balti- more to York by rail, and no man in the East was better known in his line of business. Mr. Stallman was the father of the well known "National Hotel" of York, which he purchased in 1863. when it was the "Tremont House." re- modeling and enlarging it. In 1863 he built the Masonic Hall, located on North Beaver

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street, which is still used by that order, Mr. Brubaker, a member of the fire department at Stallman having sold it to the fraternity. Mr. Atlantic City, N. J .; Augustus A. is a cigar Stallman was a Mason and at his death this order conducted his funeral. manufacturer of Abbottstown, Adams county ; Sarah A. is the wife of Prof. S. P. Duggan, Ph. D., of New York City; Edward is mana- ger of the Safety Storage Company of York ; Alverta E. is the widow of Robert L. Ketter- man, who was employed in the Martin Car- riage works; Jennie is the wife of George W. Myers, who is employed at the Martin Car- riage Works; Catherine remains at the paren- tal home; and Peter A.

In 1863, when General Early, with the ad- vance of Lee's army, captured York, Mr. Stall- man was one of the leading citizens. When Early made a demand for $100,000, the sum of $28,000 was raised by the citizens before the Confederate force was recalled toward Gettys- burg. Daniel Hartman, Frederick Stallman, and a third citizen, whose name is not recalled counted out the money that had been collected by the citizens, in the presence of Gen. Early at his headquarters in the sheriff's office in the County Court House.

Mr. Stallman was first married to Miss Jane Metzel, daughter of Thomas Metzel, who died in middle life. Mr. Stallman married (second) Nov. 13, 1861, Miss Priscilla Gil- berthorpe, daughter of William Gilberthorpe, and she survives, living at No. 2 South Beaver street, York.

PETER A. ELSESSER is to be individ- ually considered as one of the representative citizens and business men of York, where he is incumbent of the office of secretary and treas- urer of the Martin Carriage Works, and, in a more abstract sense, as a member of a family whose name has been honorably linked with the history of this section of the State for many decades.

Mr. Elsesser was born near Hanover, this county, April 14, 1867, son of Lawrence G. and Anna (Zortman) Elsesser, both of whom were born and reared in York county, the for- mer being a son of Michael Elsesser, and the latter a daughter of Peter Zortman, both of whom were sterling pioneers. The parents of our subject now reside in the city of York, the father being retired from active business. The major portion of his active career was devoted to general trading. This honored couple became the parents of twelve children, of whom Peter A. was fourth in the or- der of birth; John died in early child- hood, and Emma at the age of six months, as a result of an accident, having been severely scalded. The surviving children are as fol- lows : Harry F. is a painter and paper hanger by vocation : William D. is a resident of Min- neapolis, Minn .; Lillie is the wife of Wesley

Peter A. Elsesser completed the curriculum of the public schools and then became a stu- dent in the Normal School at East Berlin, Pa., while later he continued his studies in the York County Academy. After leaving the academy he turned his attention to teaching in the pub- lic schools of Adams county, being thus en- gaged about one year, after which he passed three years in traveling through the West, as salesman and collector for an extensive shirt manufactory. He then returned to York county, and for two terms was a successful and popular teacher in the public schools of Emigs- ville. In 1892 he accepted the position of stenographer in the office of the Martin Car- riage Works, and about two years later he was made general manager, while in 1900 he as- sumed the office of secretary of the company, in which he is now a stockholder, and in 1903 in addition to all his other responsibilities he was made treasurer as well as secretary. He is also president of the York Safety Storage Company.

In politics Mr. Elsesser is independent, and fraternally he is a prominent and appreciative member of the Masonic order, being affiliated with Zeredatha Lodge, No. 451, F. & A. M .; Howell Chapter, No. 199, R. A. M .; Gethse- mane Commandery, No. 75. K. T .; Zembo Temple, of the Mystic Shrine, in Harrisburg, where he is a member of the Consistory of the Ancient & Accepted Scottish Rite Masonry. He also holds membership in the Knights of Pythias Lodge in York. Both Mr. and Mrs. Elsesser are zealous and valued members of St. Matthew's Lutheran Church, in which he has been a deacon since 1902, while he is the able and honored teacher of the Bible class in the Sunday school, said class having started with eleven members, in 1898, and now nun- bering 115 members. In 1902 Mr. Elsesser

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was elected president of the York Y. M. C. A., Democrat. These children were born to this and was chosen as his own successor in 1903. worthy couple: Sally, who died at the age 1904 and 1905. He is deeply interested in re- of seven years; Robert C .; William, a farmer, ligious work, and is a strong factor in the busines and social life of the community, where his circle of friends is circumscribed only by that of his acquaintances. who married a Miss Glenn, and died in Lower Chanceford township; James, who married Annie McIlvane; Ann Elizabeth, who married Gibson Martin, deceased.

farmer near Emigsville, this county, where, on the old homestead, Mrs. Elsesser was born and reared. Mr. Elsesser was one of the organ- izers of the Royal Fire Company, of which he was the first treasurer, holding that office con- tinually until the present time, and he has also been a trustee from the organization to the present. There is no other man of his years in York who has done more in public matters and in directing educational, church and Y. M. C. A. work than Peter A. Elsesser.

ROBERT COLVIN WISE, of Lower Chanceford township, York county, was born Nov. 5, 1834, on what is now the Sam- uel Stokes farm in that township, son of Sam- uel and Ann (Colvin) Wise, and grandson of Henry Wise.

Henry Wise was a blacksmith by trade, and followed his profession in Chanceford town- ship, where he owned and operated a farm. He married a Miss Shaull, who lived to be 100 years old, and they were the parents of these children : John; Samuel; Jacob; Philip; Joseph; Henry ; Betsy, who married a Mr. Mc- Alister ; Pollie, who maried Mr. Curran; Kate, who married Mr. Ellis; and Andrew.

Samuel Wise was born in Chanceford township, where he received a common school education and followed farming all of his life. When our subject was a year old, the father rented the Hugh Ross farm, and from there went to the William Grove farm, where he stayed two years, then spent four years on the McCall farm, four years on the Samuel Stokes farm, and then located on the William Gem- mell farm, where he remained for eleven years. He next bought the farm upon which Robert C. Wise now resides, where he lived until his death. Mr. Wise and his wife, who had been Ann Colvin, were members of the Chanceford Presbyterian Church, in which faith they died on their farm. In politics Mr. Wise was a

Robert Colvin Wise attended the common schools of the township, his first schooling be-

On Jan. 26, 1893, was solemnized the mar- riage of Mr. Elsesser to Miss Lizzie E. Rut- ter, daughter of Samuel Rutter, a prominent . ing received at Cherry Hill school under Thomas Mckinnon, and finished at Chanceford school, at the age of twenty years, under George Campbell. In the summer Mr. Wise worked on the farm for his father. As a boy Mr. Wise went to the Sabbath-school, and at the age of twenty-three years joined the Lower Chance- ford Presbyterian Church, of which he has been a devout member ever since. In his youth he taught a class in the Sabbath-school. At the death of his father Mr. Wise inherited the home farm and here he has since been engaged.

On Jan. 24, 1866, Mr. Wise was married by the Rev. Mr. McBirney to Miss Mary Ann Martin, at his bride's home in. Airville. Mrs. Wise was born Nov. 22, 1831, in Hopewell township, daughter of Andrew and Jane (Gib- son) Martin, the former of whom was a farmer, who had been reared near Center Church, Hopewell township, where he owned a farm, which he sold in 1838, and bought a farm, upon part of which Airville now stands. This farm of 180 acres, he divided and sold off in building lots. Here he died in his seventy- second year, while his wife died some years later, being at the time of her death seventy- two years old.

To Mr. and Mrs. Robert C. Wise the fol- lowing children have been born: William G .: Samuel A., born Jan. 20, 1868, married Janet Warner, and they reside at Collinsville, and have five children, Chester, Beulah, Samuel Ross, Robert Norris and Sterl. Warner : Ira B., born Aug. 25, 1870, married Miss Mattie L. Tosh, and has four children, Anne Janet, Ira F., Goldie May and Samuel Amos. Mr. Wise has been a lifelong Democrat, and has been school director two terms, and has also held the offices of auditor and treasurer.

THEODORE F. GIVLER. now living re- tired in York, Pa., was born Feb. 25, 1844, in Cumberland county, Pa., son of Benjamin and Isabella (Mclaughlin) Givler.

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Benjamin Givler was a son of parents who No. 145 North Newberry street, York; Charles A., who has a dry goods store at Nos. 105-107 South George street, York, Pa .; and Theodore,

came from Germany to Cumberland county after a season in Lancaster county, Pa. By trade Benjamin Givler was a miller, and prior who died in childhood. to 1844 he operated the mill back of Carlisle, later moved to the Silver Springs mill, and still later lived near Kingston. In early life he was connected with the Presbyterian Church, but afterward united with the Lutheran Church. He died in 1865, aged nearly sixty-eight years, and his wife passed away in August of the same year, at about the same age. Of their eight children, two died in infancy, and the others were: Thomas, a retired resident of Mechanicsburg; Austin, residing in Cumber- land county; Benjamin, a miller near Shire- manstown, Cumberland county; Isabella, wife of Theodore Heagy, of Peabody, Kans .; Theo- dore F .; and William, lieutenant of Company F, 130th P. V. I., who was killed at the battle of Antietam, in 1862.

Until the age of sixteen years, Theodore F. Givler remained in Cumberland county, and then came to York county to learn the milling business with his brother Austin. While still an apprentice, in 1864, he enlisted in Com- pany E, 200th P. V. I., and served until mus- tered out in May, 1865, participating in the battles in front of Petersburg and at Fort Steadman, being at the front during the great- est part of his term of service.

After returning from the army, Mr. Givler spent some four years with his brother Austin, and they purchased a mill, but in 1869 he came back to York county and took charge of the Hoops mill, which was the property of his father-in-law, Waln Hoops. This mill he operated for thirteen years, until 1883, one of the most satisfactory mills in Washington township. In 1884 he moved to Hall, and in the spring of 1890 he took charge of the store at that point, and during his four years there was postmaster. Since then Mr. Givler has lived retired. During his active years he took much interest in politics, is a strong supporter of the Republican party, and has served as jus- tice of the peace in Washington township, and as a member of the school board.

On Aug. 1, 1869, Mr. Givler married Miss Lucinda Hoops, daughter of Waln and Sarah Ann (Leach) Hoops. Three children have been born to them: George W., a grocer at

JACOB T. SMITH, a retired farmer of Washington township, York county, was born April 19, 1833, in Shrewsbury township, son of John W., and grandson of Anthony Smith.

Anthony Smith was a prominent farmer of Codorus township, who married a member of the old Werner family. He died in Washing- ton township, aged seventy-six years, and was buried at Red Run Church. His children were : Anthony; Elizabeth, who married John Wei- gond; John W., father of Jacob T. All be- came well known and respected residents of Washington township.

John W. Smith was born in Codorus where he spent his early life. He married Hannah Thoman (a complete history of the Thoman family will be found elsewhere), who died aged fifty-six years. They had children as follows: John, who died near Clear Springs, York county, married Anna Hollinger; Jacob T .; Elizabeth married Aaron Urich and died in York county ; and Jesse, who died on the home farm in Washington township, married Caro- line Hollinger. John W. Smith, the father, was a miller by trade, and owned a mill property of sixty acres in Shrewsbury township, where he also engaged in farming until 1840, when he settled in Washington township, and there bought a farm of 270 acres. In 1857 he erected new buildings and made many improvements, later dividing his large estate into two farms. He lived retired a few years before his acci- dental death, which came from the effects of a fall from a hay mow, when seventy-two years of age. Both he and his wife are buried at Red Run Church, where they had membership. He had contributed liberally to the erection and support of this church, and he was a well- known and'highly respected citizen.

Jacob T. Smith spent his school days in Codorus and Washington townships, being seven years old when he came to the latter. He remembers attending school in an old log schoolhouse near his home, in which the Dun- kards also held religious services. After he completed his schooling he assisted his father at home and in 1862 he bought the farm. In 1880 he built a handsome brick residence which

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is now owned by his son, John C., who pur- city of York, his active career having been de- chased the farm from his father. Our subject voted principally to wagon making. His wife, still owns the adjoining farm, on which he re- ' whose maiden name was Fanny Newcomer, is sided for six years. Since the death of his wife he has made his home around with his children.

In 1859 Mr. Smith was united in marriage with Catherine Hollinger, daughter of George and Elizabeth ( Asper) Hollinger. The fam- ilies are closely connected, three Smith brothers marrying three Hollinger sisters. Mrs. Smith died in 1903, aged sixty-six years, and was laid to rest in the cemetery at Red Run. Their children were: Annie, who died aged twenty- nine years; George W., a resident of Harris- burg, who married Amanda Spangler; Cath- arine, who married John W. Slothower, of Lemoyne, Cumberland county ; John Calvin, a prominent farmer of the township, now serv- ing as school director, who married Emma C. Kinnel; Jacob H., who married Margrete E. Shultz, and is engaged in civil service as mail carrier in Harrisburg, near Hall; and Jonas A., who married Mary Bear, and is engaged in the grocery business in Lemoyne. There are six- teen grandchildren.

Mr. Smith is a man of marked intelligence, one who keeps thoroughly posted in all cur- rent events, and spends much of his time per- using the best literature of the day. In spite of his seventy-three years he enjoys good health, his only complaint being failing eye- sight. He has served in a number of local offi- ces, in 1880 being tax collector and later was both assistant assessor and assessor. On ac- count of his sterling character he has, upon inany occasions, been chosen as administrator of large estates in York county, which have been settled in a manner satisfactory to all con- cerned.

FRANKLIN LEADER, secretary of the Freystown Mutual Fire Insurance Co., with headquarters in the city of York, is a represen- tative of a family whose name has been inti- mately linked with the history of York county since the early pioneer epoch.

His great-grandfather in the agnatic line was a prominent farmer of Hopewell township, as was also the latter's son, George Leader, grandfather of our subject.

a daughter of Abraham Newcomer, an influ- ential farmer near Mountville, Lancaster coun- ty, where the family has long been one of prominence and no little distinction in indus- trial and civic affairs. George W. and Fanny (Newcomer) Leader became the parents of five children, namely : Elizabeth and Ella, who re- main at the parental home; William H., who is identified in an executive capacity with the York Telephone Company; Emma, wife of George Bailey, of York, her husband having been a soldier in the regular army and being now retired; and Franklin.

Franklin Leader was born in Mount Joy, Lancaster county, Pa., May 11, 1855, and when he was about three years of age his parents re- moved thence to West Manchester township, York county, in whose public schools he se- cured his early educational discipline, after which he continued his studies in the Pennsyl- vania State Normal School at Millersville, where he remained as a student for thirteen weeks. After leaving the Normal he put his scholastic acquirements to practical test by engaging in teaching in the public schools of York county, proving successful in his peda- gogic endeavors, and continuing to devote his attention to this profession for ten and one- half terms. In 1897 he was elected justice of the peace of Spring Garden township, for a term of five years, during which he served with marked discrimination and acceptability. He was appointed May 7, 1902, notary public. On June 13, 1904, Mr. Leader was elected to his present responsible position as secretary of the Freystown Mutual Fire Insurance Company, whose interests are well entrusted to his ad- ministrative care.

His uncle, John Stough, was county treas- urer of York county, and another uncle, Wil- liam Roberts, served a term as treasurer of Lancaster county, while Mr. Leader himself served fourteen months in 1899 and 1900 as deputy treasurer of York county under W. J. Bush.

In his political allegiance Mr. Leader is identified with the Democracy and he has been an active worker in the local ranks of the party. He is affiliated with the Junior Order of

George W. Leader, son of George and father of Franklin, is now living retired in the United American Mechanics; the Improved

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Order of Red Men and the degree of Poca- iel, of Columbia, married to Laura Sanderson, hontas, with which latter his wife also is iden- of Williamsport; Solomon S., organizer of the First National Bank of Columbia, of which he was cashier until his death, and married to . Katherine Redsecker; and Annie, married to Abraham Heistand, of York.

tified; while he also holds membership in the Spring Garden Relief Association, of which he has been secretary for nearly a quarter of a century ; in the Pennsylvania Agricultural Works Beneficial Society; and the Good Will Fire Company, of York, of which he is presi- dent.

Mr. Leader has been twice married. In 1879 he wedded Miss Emma Wanbaugh, daughter of Michael Wanbaugh, of Spring Garden township, and she was summoned to the life eternal in 1891, at the age of thirty- two years, having borne three children, namely : Michael W., who died at the age of twenty- two years; Margaret Elizabeth, who is the wife of Elwood Wasbers. of York; and Fanny Irene, who remains with her father. On Christ- mas day, 1893, Mr. Leader consummated a second marriage, being then united to Miss Mary E. Landis, daughter of Henry S. Landis, a representative farmer of Stony Brook, where she was reared and educated. Mr. Leader is well and favorably known in York county, is a progressive and reliable business man, and both he and his wife enjoy marked popularity in the social circles of the community.

DAVID STONER DETWILER, a well- to-do cigar manufacturer and prominent citi- zen of Wrightsville, has passed his entire life in the neighborhood of that town.

Joseph Detwiler, his grandfather, was a native of Lancaster county, Pa., where he grew up and where he married Susan Garber. In 1820 they moved to York county, settling on a farm in Hellam township, near Wrightsville, which remains in the family to this day. Mr. Detwiler built the barn which now stands on the farm, and enlarged the original house, which is still occupied by his descendants. He and his wife both passed away at their home on this farm where so much of their lives had been spent. He was an active Democrat all his life, and he served many years as a school director, a number of years as pike supervisor, and one term as county commissioner of York county. The children of Joseph and Susan (Garber) Detwiler were as follows: David, father of David Stoner; Joseph, married to Miss Sherk, who died in Mt. Joy, Lancaster county ; Miss Susan, who lives in York; Dan-

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History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume II, Part 49

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