History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume II, Part 78

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

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Philadelphia, determined to lay down his life, if necessary, to defend the sacred rights of man. He was soon promoted from the rank of private to that of sergeant and was detached to gun- boat 'Schrapnell,' artillery duty, doing picket and scouting service in Virginia and North Carolina, during the years 1864-65. In June of the latter year he was honorably discharged at Fortress Monroe, Va., having done his duty bravely in the time of danger.

"When Mr. Jones returned from the war he again resumed his work in the slate quarries at West Bangor. and continued in the capacity of employee until 1872, when he, in company with four others, began to operate a quarry on his own account. At first their works were not extensive, but from small beginnings the inter- ests of the business have grown, little by little, until now Mr. Jones is one of the largest quar- ry operators in the whole district. After work- ing this first quarry for seven years Mr. Jones sold his interest to the other four and leased the old big quarry at Peach Bottom, and has since controlled its output. Fifty men are now em- ployed there, and it has been drained by a tun- nel extending 850 feet through a surrounding chain of hills, which was constructed in 1895 at a cost of $5,000, and has greatly facilitated the work.

"In company with F. R. Williams, in 1891. Mr. Jones purchased the lease of the Eureka and Susquehanna Slate Companies and formed a joint stock association, the Excelsior Slate Company, of which Mr. Jones was elected pres- ident and general manager, which trust he still holds. This company employs at present forty hands. Besides his interest in the two large slate quarries, he was the senior member of the firm of Jones & McConkey, large dealers in gen- eral merchandise [until 1903, when he trans- ferred his interest to his two sons]. He has also been a director of the First National Bank since 1890, when with his assistance it was successfully organized. [In 1901 he was elected vice-president of that solid financial in- stitution. ] In local politics, though never hav- ing accepted a public office other than township auditor, he exercises a wide influence. He is a Republican. In religious and fraternal circles he is an active member and has been choir leader for twenty-five years in the Welsh Cal- vinistic Church, and is also a member of Estral- eon Lodge, No. 176, A. F. & A. M.

On August 15, 1870, Mr. Jones was united

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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

in marriage with Isabella Roberts, daughter of Jolin and Isabella Roberts, of Wales. His family consists of five children, whose names, given in order of birth, are : Emma, John, Hay- den, Arthur, Isabella and Idris, who are at present all residing with their parents, where they easily and gracefully sustain the high posi- tion in local society which their father's suc- cessful and honorable career in business and other circles has won for himself and his family."

THEODORE W. GROSS, now living re- tired on his farm in Conewago township, was born March 18, 1854, in that township, son of Samuel M. and Catherine ( Wentz) Gross.

Mr. Gross is of German descent, and his grandfather, Samuel Gross, was a weaver who followed his trade in' Dover and Conewago townships. He bought a farm in the latter. place of about sixty-five acres, and at the time he purchased it there were four log barns standing upon it. Mr. Gross built a new barn in 1850, and in 1854 erected a fine residence. He was both a farmer and weaver, in which joint occupation he employed about seven hands. He made all kinds of cloths and linens, and one of the most highly prized possessions of Theodore W. Gross is a quilt which his grandfather wove. Samuel Gross was a mem- ber of the State militia, enlisted in the War of 1812, and served for nearly a year, taking part in the battle of Baltimore. He married Cath- erine Miller, who died in 1862, her husband surviving until 1867, and they are both buried at Quickel's Church. Mr. Gross was a Luth- eran and was very active in religious work, while his wife was a member of the Reformed Church. To this good couple the following children were born: Mary Ann, married ( first) a Mr. Zorger, and ( second) a Mr. Bren- neman, and died in Conewago township; Jonas married Elizabeth Wentz and died in Yocum- town ; Levi married Rosanna Creep, and died in Manchester township : Lucy died single at York Haven ; Samuel M. was the father of Theodore W .; Eliza married Jacob S. Cassel, and they live at York Haven. Besides the foregoing were six children, who died young.

Samuel M. Gross was born in Dover town- ship and received a common-school education. He learned the miller's trade at Strinestown mill, which is now owned by James F. Cline,

and was engaged at that vocation for about twenty-eight years. For six years he was fore- man for P. A. & S. Small at Goldsboro, and was also employed at the old York Haven grist mill for nine months. From 1872 to 1897 he was a farmer, and lived with his son, our sub- ject, until his death, which occurred April 27, 1898. He was a consistent member of Quickel's Lutheran Church, and was very much interested in its work. In political sympathy he was a Democrat. He married Catherine Wentz, daughter of George and Catherine (Gross) Wentz, and her death occurred in 1901. Mr. Wentz's early days were spent in hunting through the Conewago hills, where game was plentiful at that time. His father was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, and is buried at Paddletown, Newberry town- ship. The children born to Samuel M. and Catherine Gross were as follows : Theodore W .; Tempest H., born Nov. 25, 1857, married Mary Fig, and for the last nine years of his life was foreman for the Champion Machine Co., at Fremont, Ohio, his death occurring in Novem- ber, 1901 ; and Samuel B., born Feb. 2, 1862, a miller by trade, who is at present employed by the Harrisburg & Mechanicsburg trolley line as a motorman, married Rebecca Eshelman, of Cumberland county.

Theodore W. Gross attended Sipes' school at Manchester, Fertenbaugh's school in New- berry township and the Goldsboro school. Later he was a student at Millersville State Normal school, which he entered in 1873, and from which, after a course of two and one-half years, he was graduated with honors. He then taught about twenty terms, as follows: At Bowers' school, Conewago township, nine terms ; one term at Fink's school in the same township ; two terms at Strinestown ; two terms at Strayer's school, Manchester township; four terms at Smith's school in Conewago township, and, finally, one term at Bower's school, where he had commenced his career as a pedagogue.

In 1891 Mr. Gross was elected assessor of Conewago township, and served three years in that capacity. In the year of his election he bought from Andrew Stough, the fine home which he now occupies, and it is one of the old- est and most substantial in the township. He owns a fine tract of 132 acres in Conewago township, which is known as the old Bower farm. Mr. Gross is a member of the Lutheran

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Church, in which he is at present elder. He is a Democrat in politics, and takes a lively inter- est in the success of his party.

In 1884 Mr. Gross married Amanda Grim, daughter of Jolin and Emmeline ( Bull) Grim. and these children have been born to their union : Lawrence A. L., born June 30. 1886: Samuel A., born Nov. 29. 1888; and Emma Kate, born June 9. 1894, all of whom are at- tending school.

JOHN DEITRICH MEYER was born in the city of Oldenburg. Germany, and died on his farm in Windsor township. York county. Sept. 13, 1865. He lost his parents when very young, but provision was made for his educa- tion and he was a scholarly man. His pen- manship was so fine that he was entrusted with the transcribing of many important papers. In 1850 he married Catherine Denker, and they set sail for the United States from Bremen, arriving at Baltimore, Md .. in November, 1851, after a voyage of seven weeks. Mr. Meyer had made a previous trip to this coun- ty, and had selected the field in which he in- tended to commence business, this being in the city of Baltimore, where he engaged in store- keeping. at what was caled the "Three-mile House," a few miles from York. A year later he moved to a new location within a few miles of what is now Red Lion, where he kept a store for two years and then bought. at a sheriff's sale, a tract of sixty-five acres of land on which now stands the borough of Red Lion. Only a few scattered houses stood there then, and Mr. Meyer purchased and renovated an old frame residence. He also improved his land and engaged in mercantile pursuits. When the Peach Bottom railroad was built through that section. its tracks were laid through Mr. Meyer's farm, but he never lived to see this great change. Mrs. Meyer, however, was not slow to take advantage of this circumstance. platting the farm and showing much business enterprise.

Mr. Meyer's death was a distinct loss to this section. He was not only an admirable business man, but in every way a most ex- emplary citizen. A Democrat through life, he was personally opposed to holding any office, although he was so highly esteemed that he might have been elected to any position he de- sired. He was a leading member of the Luth- eran Church.

Mrs. Meyer was born Dec. 2. 1828. also at Oldenburg, being a schoolmate of her hus- band and of the same religious faith. Her parents were Bernard and Ann ( Long) Den- ker, both of whom died in their native land. Mrs. Meyer, like her husband, enjoyed su- perior educational advantages, and, by the ca- pable manner in which she managed the im- portant business affairs left by him, has shown unusual business ability. She added thirty- two acres to the original farm and when the railroad was built through it, she kept the . station for several years. The first home was destroyed by fire, but in 1866 she built the present handsome brick residence. The five children of Mr. and Mrs. Meyer were: Ada B., wife of E. T. Moul. died in 1881 : Charles D. died in 1886, aged twenty-eight years ; Harry B. lives at York; Bertha Henrietta is Mrs. J. A. Miller, of Red Lion ; and Antoin- ette Catherine is Mrs. Charles W. Moody. of Red Lion. She is a member of the Lutheran Church of Red Lion in which she formerly was very active.

HON. VALENTINE TROUT, formerly associate judge in York county, is one of the prominent citizens of Chanceford township. Mr. Trout was born Feb. 9, 1822, on his father's farm in Hopewell township, York county, Pennsylvania.

Wentel Trout, the grandfather of Valen- tine, came from Germany to America with his two brothers, George and Henry. They were all prosperous and brought much silver money with them, purchasing farms in the vicinity of Strasburg. Lancaster county. Mr. Trout re- moved from Lancaster county to York county. settling in the lower end of Hopewell town- ship, where he purchased a large tract of land. In religious matters he was a member of the Lutheran Church. Mr. Trout died on his farm at the age of about eighty years, and his son. the father of Valentine. settled the estate. The children born to Wentel Trout and his wife were as follows: Joseph, a farmer, died in Shrewsbury township: William married Lydia Wyant, and died on his farm in Hope- well township: Wentel: George and David both died on the home farm: Adam died on his farm in Hopewell township; Bessie married John Miller, and died in Hopewell township: Polly married Garretson Prall, and died in Hopewell township: a daughter (name un-

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known) married David Hartman and located in the West; Lydia married Jacob Grove, and died in Hopewell township.

was married twice, (first) to Mary Falkner, and died in Shrewsbury township.

Valentine Trout's first teacher was Tem- pleton Hollingshed, a subscription teacher who held school in different homes, and lived tem- porarily in each family. When the free schools were established, Mr. Trout attended them, and received a good education. Although as fond of play as any boy, Mr. Trout learned when to play and when to study, and never tried to do both at one time. In fact, during

Wentel Trout, son of Wentel, was born on the homestead in Hopewell township in 1785, and received his education in the subscription schools of that period. Mr. Trout was a very successful man and followed the occupation of farming all of his life. After marrying Barbara Miller he bought a farm in the upper end of Hopewell township, where he resided during the war of 1812-15, being drafted into service. his entire boyhood he was called upon to do during the war and serving his term in Balti- his part of the work, both within and without. more. After the war Mr. Trout returned home At the age of nineteen, Mr. Trout and his brother, Samuel, made a trip to Chanceford township, hauling timber from the woods to Manor Furnace. He continued in this occu- pation for one season, when he married and located on his present farm. Mr. Trout did all of his farming with the old implements, the modern machinery not coming into use until after he had ceased his agricultural labors. Mr. Trout's farm first consisted of 170 acres, most of which he had himself cleared and improved, in 1861 building a fine barn 70 x 61 feet. The old home was built of logs, which Mr. Trout covered with weather-boards, and it is still used as a dwelling. and sold his farm, purchasing another in the center of Hopewell township, which latter has later become known as the William Baughman farm, and upon which Mr. Trout resided until his death in 1870. For many years he was an elder in the Lutheran Church, having been a member of that religious organization since boyhood. He collected the first school tax in Hopewell township after the free-school sys- tem had been established and encountered much difficulty in making his collections, as many people at that time were strongly opposed to the tax. Mr. Trout had been a member of the Whig party for many years, and died a Republican. He was a well known sale-crier, In the fall of 1873 Mr. Trout was elected associate judge, under the old constitution, and served as such until its abolition five years ago. Previous to holding this office Mr. Trout had been school director for fifteen years, later serving three years in the same capacity, mak- ing a total of eighteen years; he then declined the position, considering that he had done his full official duty. He had served as president, secretary and treasurer of the board, had been assistant assessor and judge of elections, and was appointed a number of times by the court to serve as road-viewer and bridge-inspector of York county. and was highly esteemed throughout the town- ship for his many sterling traits of character. He was generally respected as a man of strict integrity and possessed the confidence of his fellow citizens to an extent that he was often called upon to settle up estates. Mr. Trout's death occurred in his eighty-fifth year. Mr. Trout's wife was the daughter of Abraham and Barbara Miller, who owned a home in Hopewell township. The children born to the worthy couple are as follows : Barbara married Solomon Blouse, and died in Shrewsbury township; Adam married Katie Flinchbaugh, and they both died near Loganville, York At the age of twenty-two Mr. Trout joined Staley's Lutheran Church in his township, but in 1849 became connected with the New Har- mony Presbyterian Church at the Brogue, and in 1851 was appointed elder, having served continuously in that capacity, and missed but one communion during the entire period. He has been a delegate to the conventions, and is an ardent, active church worker and a devout Christian man, making family worship one of his rules of life. In politics Mr. Trout was county ; Abraham married Violet Morrisey, and died in Hopewell township; Samuel mar- ried Mrs. Catherine Douglas, and both died in Hopewell township; David married a Miss Wright, of Maryland, enlisted in an Illinois regiment, and served in the Civil war, dying in Salisbury prison; Jacob married a Miss Wattmyer, and was killed by a falling tree in Hopewell township: Valentine : James married Maria Arms, and died in Maryland ; and John

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reared a Whig, but joined the Democratic party just prior to the Civil war, when he be- came a Douglas Democrat.

Mr. Trout has been twice married. On Sept. 9. 1842, he married Maria Blouse, born in 1822 in Chanceford township, daughter of John Blouse. Mrs. Trout's mother died when Maria was a small child. Mr. Trout's first wife died April 13, 1873, and was interred at the Brogueville Presbyterian cemetery, leav- ing these children: George B., a farmer of Chanceford township, married (first) Mary Workinger, daughter of the late Jesse and Mary Workinger, and after her death he mar- ried (second) Mary A. Wise; Margaret Re- becca married Jacob Warner of Chanceford township; M. Jane married Henry Curran, who, for many years, was a merchant of Brogueville, where he died in 1898, leaving four children; Jacob William married Susie Miller, and they reside in Chanceford town- ship; Elizabeth Amanda is now Mrs. Samuel Warner, of Chanceford township: Valentine

HARRY GEORGE SCHRIVER. The Schrivers are old German settlers in Adams county, and now have a number of prominent representatives in York county, one of whom is Harry G. Schriver, an extensive dealer in V., of Hopewell township, married Mattie horses and mules at Hanover, where he was Martin; and Clarkson, of Chanceford town- ship, married Miss Frances Keller.

Valentine Trout's second marriage was to Mrs. James Fulton, whose maiden name was Mary Ann Webb. She was born in New Mar- ket, Md., March 23, 1833. Mr. Trout is the father of seven children, the grandfather of forty-one children (twenty-four of whom are living), and twenty-six great-grandchildren. Over six feet tall, of a fine physique, Judge Trout is a conspicuous figure in any assembly, which his dignified bearing and courtly man- ner make still more noticeable. Mr. Trout has in his possession an old hand-made pocketbook, of pig skin, which was brought to this country from Germany by his emigrant ancestor. It is a curious family heirloom and naturally highly prized.

WILLIAM HENRY MILLER, a prom- inent farmer of York county, was born in Spring Garden township Sept. 29, 1848, son of Christian and Elizabeth (Louckes) Miller. He had one sister, Margaret L., who makes her home with him.

Mr. Miller attended the public schools first and later studied at the State Normal, at Mil- lersville. After leaving school he decided to make farming his occupation and has been

steadily engaged in agriculture ever since. He has been very successful in his operations and is well-known not only among the other farm- ers of that section, but among the business men of York. He was one of the active managers of the York County Agricultural Society, is president of the Farmers' Fire Insurance Com- pany, and for the past twenty-six years has been one of the board of directors of the West- ern National Bank of York.

On Dec. 25, 1873, Mr. Miller was united in marriage with Miss Alice J., daughter of Frederick and Lydia (Gibson) Schetzbauch, of Hellam township, and to their union has come one son, Harry S. Mr. Miller is a man of considerable influence locally, and the fam- ily are held in high esteem.

born June 28, 1867, son of Jacob H. and El- mira (Gitt) Schriver. The father, who is now engaged in the livery business at Hanover, was born in York county on a farm north of Han- over, Nov. 14, 1842, the son of Henry C. and Maria M. (Felty) Schriver, natives of Adams county. Henry C. Schriver lived to the advanced age of eighty years and was one of the prosperous farmers of his time in York county. His wife, Maria M., who died in 1892, in her eightieth year, was the daughter of Henry and Polly (Newman) Felty, early set- tlers of York county. The father of Henry C. Schriver was John Schriver, a native of Adams county, who married a Coover. The Schrivers emigrated from Germany to America many years prior to the Revolution.

Jacob H. Schriver, the father of Harry G., was in his teens a clerk in the store of Cremer & Allewelt, with whom he remained until 1861, when he enlisted in Company G. 16th P. V. I., Col. Zeigler commanding, in the three months' service under the first call of President Lincoln for 75,000 men. The regiment was sent to Bunker Hill, Va., and at the expiration of his term of enlistment Mr. Schriver returned to Hanover, and resumed his vocation as clerk in the store of Cremer & Allewelt. He re- mained with them until 1865, when he engaged

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in the livery business for himself, at the same ter county, Pa., for the most part, the great- time dealing in horses and mules. This busi- grandfather of Charles P. Shreiner having been a celebrated clockmaker of Lancaster for a long lifetime. The products of his skill are still in existence. The prevailing style in that day was the large "grandfather's clock," made with such care as to last for centuries. A num- ber of these clocks are still owned in the county. Mr. Shreiner built the first clock placed in the old Lancaster court house, famous for almost a century as a timekeeper. ness he continued actively for twenty-five years, and few men in that time handled more horses and mules than Mr. Schriver. In 1890 he turned the business over to his son Harry G. The livery barn burned in 1900, resulting in the loss of a number of horses and car- riages. Mr. Schriver sustained a heavy finan- cial loss, but he immediately rebuilt the stables and re-established himself in the business, which he has since conducted on a scale of some magnitude, keeping a large stock of horses and carriages.

Jacob H. Schriver was married Jan. 18, 1866, to Miss Elmira Gitt, daughter of J. W. and Maria (Newman) Gitt. She was reared in York county. To Mr. and Mrs. Schriver were born three children, Harry George, Elsie (deceased), and M. Grace (at home). In poli- tics Mr. Schriver is a Republican, and for three years he served as a member of the city coun- cil. For a year he was a member of the Mt. Olivet Cemetery Board. He and his wife are members of Emanuel Reformed Church, in which he has been very active, having served as elder, deacon and trustee.

Harry George Schriver was educated in the public schools of Hanover. At the conclu- sion of school days he became the assistant of his father in the livery business, continuing the same until 1900, when he commenced business on his own account. He has built up an ex- tensive trade, and few men of his age are bet- ter judges of horses than he. He deals ex- tensively in horses and mules, for the proper care of which his present barn was erected in 1893. Mr. Schriver buys horses in various parts of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Iowa and Kentucky. He is a member of the Elks, Lodge No. 763, and in 1904 he was elected a member of the city council from the First ward. He was married in 1893 to Miss Mabel Trone, daughter of Samuel E. and Louisa (Thomas) Trone, of Hanover.

CHARLES P. SHREINER, city clerk of York, is a member of an old and honored fam- ily of the State, and one which has left its im- press for good on society as succeeding genera- tions have passed.

The earlier members of the family were connected with the history and life of Lancas-

Martin Shreiner, grandfather of Charles P., was a man of considerable property in his generation, residing at Lancaster, where he was prominent in the business circles of the city. He at one time owned the land on which now stands the Lancaster Trust Company's hand- some building, this particular spot having been in the family for three successive generations, and in looking up the title the. lawyers in mak- ing the transfer discovered the remarkable fact that there had never been a dollar of debt against the property during the three gen- erations that it was in the possession of the Shreiner family.

Philip Shreiner, father of Charles P., re- sided in Lancaster during the earlier part of his life, and thence he removed to New Cum- berland, Pa., and then to Columbia, and en- gaged in the jewelry business. There he died in 1877, aged sixty-nine years. By marriage he connected the Shreiners with another of the historic families of the State, his wife having been Rebecca Trissler, daughter of Michael Trissler. She bore him six children, passing to rest in 1879, aged seventy-five years. Two of the sons and one daughter are now deceased, Samuel, Edward and Rebecca : Mary, the eld- est daughter, is the wife of the late Hon. Hiram Young, editor of the York Dispatch; Clara, un- married, resides with her sister; Charles P. is the city clerk of York.

Charles P. Shreiner has been the efficient city clerk of York for the past four years, and is now serving his fifth term. He was born in New Cumberland, Cumberland Co., Pa., Oct. 15, 1843, and was but two years old when the family removed to Columbia. He was reared in that town, receiving a good common-school education, and as a boy entered the employ of his father as a clerk in the jewelry store. For the intervening years between 1861 and 1875 Mr. Shreiner was thus engaged. Then he

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History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume II, Part 78

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