History of York County, Pennsylvania : from the earliest period to the present time, divided into general, special, township and borough histories, with a biographical department appended, Part 177

Author: Gibson, John, Editor
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: F.A. Battey Publishing Co., Chicago
Number of Pages: 1104

USA > Pennsylvania > York County > History of York County, Pennsylvania : from the earliest period to the present time, divided into general, special, township and borough histories, with a biographical department appended > Part 177

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

HENRY M. BITNER was born in Fairview Township, York Co., Penn., April 24, 1823, son of Samuel and Annie (Mish) Bitner, natives of Leba- non County, Penn., and parents of nine children: Elizabeth, deceased; Margaret, deceased; Catharine, Anna, Samuel, John, Henry M., Matthias and Sarab A. Subject's father was born in 1786, and came to Fairview Township in 1812, where he afterward owned a farm of 200 acres of land. He was a mem- ber of the German Reformed Church, and died in 1857, aged seventy one years. Henry M. was reared on the farm, and after his father's death, began

farming for himself, and has since followed that occupation, owning 126 acres of land in Fairview Township, and twenty-two acres of timber land. His son now manages this property, which is the old homestead. In 1871, Mr. Bitner moved to Cum- berland Connty, Penn., where he now resides, and owns fifty-five acres of finely improved land. In 1857, he married Rebecca Cassel, a native of Dau- phin County, Penn., and by this union they have four children: William H., residing on his father's farm, in Fairview Township, and Samuel L., Joseph M. and Henry C., at home.

LEWIS CLINE was born in Newherry Town- ship, York Co., Penn., March 10, 1836, and is the fourth of ten children born to Andrew and Margaret (Foster) Cline, natives of York County. Penn., and of German and Irish descent, respect- ively. Andrew Cline was a hatter by trade, but gave that up and began farming, which he followed until his death. Lewis was reared a farmer, and at the age of twenty-one began teaching school, which he followed for two terms. He continued farming until he was thirty-one years old, when he took charge of his father's mill, on shares, and since his father's death has operated the mill in his own name. He enlisted August 4, 1862, in Company K, One Hundred and Thirtieth Pennsylvania Volun- teer Infantry, and took part in the battle of Antie- tam, where he was wounded in the left arm. He was with his regiment at Chancellorsville where he took no part in the battle, but carried water to the wounded. He was discharged May 21, 1863, on the expiration of his term of enlistment. He is now a pensioner and receives $64 yearly. In 1871 he married Elmira Mordorf, and they have three chil- dren; Clara, Rosaline and Edith. Mrs. Cline is a danghter of Levi and Susanna (Leiby) Mordorf. natives of Cumberland County, Penn. Mr. Cline is doing a good business in his mills, which have three run of buhrs, one on wheat and two on feed. On the date stone of these the Lewisberry Mills is carved in antique letters the following: "Samuel Kniselley, Mason JOHN HARMN & ELIZ his WIFE, October ye 11, annd 1785, in the 10th year of Amrn. Independcy." Mr. Cline is a Republican.

CHRISTIAN GARVER was born July 24, 1818. in Fairview Township, York Co., Penn., son of Christian and Nancy (Horsht) Garver, the former a native of Lancaster County, Penn., the latter of Fairview Township. His grandfather, Garver, a native of Switzerland, came to America at an early day and settled in Lancaster County, Penn., where he followed farming. Subject's father was born in 1775, came to York County when about twenty-five years of age, and settled in Fairview Township, where he owned several fine farms, and was also engaged in distilling. He retired from active life a few years previous to his death in 1849, at the age of seventy-five years. Our subject was reared on the farm, and in 1845 began farming for himself, which occupation he followed ten years. He then retired from active work, and has since resided in New Market. Fairview Township. He owns a finely improved farm of 160 acres, and a fine resi- dence in New Market. In 1845 he married Eliza- beth Miller, daughter of Tobias Miller, of Cumber-

land County, Penn. They have had four children: Anna Baughman, Benjamin (deceased), Elizabeth (deceased), and Christian M. The latter lives on his father's farm.

JOHN M. HART was born October 16. 1822, in Fairview Township, son of Isaac and Elizabeth (Moore) Hart, natives of this county. His great- grandfather, Jacob Hart, was born in Germany, came to America at an early date, and settled in York County, Penn., where he engaged in farming. Subject's grandfather, John Hart, was born in this county, and was a large landowner. He died in 1849, aged about eighty years. Isaac Hart, sub- ject's father, was born in 1788, was a farmer by occupation, and died in 1839. His wife was born in 1799, and died in 1876. They had seven chil- dren: Sarah J., John M., Joseph K., Jacob, Andrew, Robert L. (deceased), and Elizabeth. John M., at the age of twenty-five years, bought a farm of 125 acres in Fairview Township, on which he followed farming from 1849 to 1884, when he retired from active life. He has a finely improved farm, and has made all by his own industry and energy. In 1870 he married Mary E. Lloyd, daughter of Will- iam and Amanda (Anderson) Lloyd, the former a native of Chester County, the latter of Cumberland County, Penn. Mr. Hart has been a director of the Second National Bank of Mechanicsburgh, Penn., for fifteen years, and was elected president of that establishment January 1, 1884. Mrs. Hart is a member of the Methodist Church.

SAMUEL B. HOFF was born in Fairview Township, York Co. Penn., February 25, 1838, son of Henry H. and Elizabeth (Boyer) Hoff, natives of Heidelberg Township, York Co., Penn. The father was born in 1792, followed coopering, and afterward engaged in farming in Heidelberg and Fairview Townships. He owned 165 acres of land. where Samnel B. now resides, hesides a large amount of other property. He was a Democrat. He died in 1865. His wife, who was born in 1799, is still living in Lisburn, Penn. They had five children : Jeremiah (deceased), Elizabeth, Magdalena, Henry and Samnel B. Subject's great-grandfather, Hoff, served in the Revolutionary war, and was taken prisoner by the British. Subject's great- grandfather, John Boyer, was one of the first set- tlers in Heidelberg Township, to which he came over 108 years ago. Samuel B. Hoff was reared on the farm in Fairview Township, where he resides, and at the age of twenty-two years began farming for himself. In the spring of 1865 he sold his stock, and spent two months in Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, after which he returned to York County, Penn., where he has since remained. He owns a finely improved farm of 165 acres, and 20 acres of wood- land. Mr. Hoff is a school director. He was elected prothonotary of York County on the Demo- cratic ticket November 4, 1884, by a majority of 3,504, for a term of three years. In 1868 he mar- ried Mary Jane Anderson, born February 26, 1845, daughter of William and Mary ( Wiley) Anderson, of Monaghan Township. By this union they have had five children: Harry and Willie, twins (de- ceased), Charles (born July 16, 1870), Leroy (born March 6, 1875), and Morris (born August 26, 1882. Mr. Hoff has a box which was made by the Indians in Lancaster County, Penn., and which has been handed down from his great-grandfather. Boyer.

JACOB HURSH, March 18, 1767, obtained a grant for 300 acres of land near "Lofty Mountain " in Newberry, now Fairview Township. In 1789 Peter Hursh, with his family of wife, five sons and six daughters, moved to York County from Lancas- ter County, and purchased 600 acres adjoining lands of Jacob Hursh, a part of which called "For- tune " was originally granted to Richard Ashton in 1734, by one of Samuel Blunston's permits. Four-

FAIRVIEW TOWNSHIP.

teen hundred and sixty pounds currency were paid for the entire tract. It was divided into four plan- tations, and conveyed to four surviving sons, each son receiving one tract. These lands have since remained almost entirely in the possession of the lineal descendants to the fifth generation, who are engaged in farming the coveted land-marks of their ancestors. They are valuable limestone lands, and very productive. Some of the descendants of the family have immigrated to Cumberland, Adams, Franklin and Fulton Counties, Penn. Those who remained in Fairview Township have always been among her leading citizens.

DR. GEORGE R. HURSH, a lineal descendant, was elected a member of the house of representa- tives of Pennsylvania from York County in 1868, and re-elected the following year. He was born Febru- ary, 6, 1835, in Fairview Township, and was brought up on his father's farm. At the age of sixteen he attended the Cumberland Valley Institute, after which he made the study of medicine his choice, and having attended the required course of lectures in Jefferson Medical College, at Philadelphia, he graduated in that institution March 7, 1857. He has since heen continuously engaged in the active duties of his profession, until the spring of 1884, when he hegan to devote a part of his time to the delightful and healthful pursuits of agriculture on his farm in Fairview Township, York County.

J. A. KANN was born December 16, 1837, in Fairview Township. York Co., Penn., son of Daniel and Eliza (Hutton) Kann, natives of York County, Penn. His grandfather, Daniel Kann, immigrated to America from Germany at an early day and settled near York, Pean. He was a member of the Lutheran Church. Daniel Kann, subject's father, was born in 1809, came to this township with his parents when ten years old. fol- lowed farming. and owned about 400 acres of land. He was a member of the Church of God, and died in 1876. He had seven children: Anna. Priscilla, Jacob A .. Margaret, Daniel, Ellen and Christiana. J. A. Kann remained on the home farm till he was twenty-three years old, when he began farming for himself. In 1873 he bought his father's farm of 115 acres, and in 1881 retired from active life and moved to Lisburn, Cumberland Co., Penn., where he now resides, owning four lots and a fine resi- dence in that town. In 1864 he married Rachel Strominger, daughter of John and Rachel (Kilmore) Strominger, natives of Fairview Township. Mrs. Kann is a member of the Methodist Church.

MARTIN KAUFFMAN was born in Lancaster County, January 1. 1826, and is the son of Michael and Barbara (Mosser)Kauffman. His grandfather, Michael Kauffman, was also a native of Lancaster County. Subject's father was born in 1791, in Lan- caster County, but moved to Fairview Township, York County, where he possessed 170 acres of land, and where he followed farming until fourteen years prior to his death in 1872. He was a member of the Mennonite Church, and the father of eight chil- dren. Martin Kauffman worked on the home farm for his father until thirty years of age, when he | purchased the homestead and conducted it until 1883, when his son took charge- Mr. K. retiring to New Market. He was married in 1857 to Mary, daughter of Samuel and Catherine Strickler Landis, and has had born to him three children: Emma, Samuel and Kate.

HENRY KILMORE was born in Fairview Township, York Co .. Penn., February 6, 1834. son of Joseph and Eve (Peterman) Kilmore. Subject's grandfather, Henry Peterman, was a farmer, and was born in Carroll Township, this county. Joseph Kilmore, subject's father, was born in 1797, and at fifteen years of age moved with his parents to this township, where he followed farming, and owned

135 acres of land. He died in 1871, and his wife in 1862, aged forty-nine years. They were members of the Winebrennerian Church. They had ten chil- dren, of whom Henry, David, Mary J., Susan, Joseph and William are living, and John A., Adeline, Cath- arine and Dora are deceased. Our subject, at the age of twenty-two years, began learning the car- penter's trade, which he followed for fifteen years, and in 1864 began coach-making in Fairview Town- ship, and has since been doing a prosperous bus- iness in building huggies, wagons, sleighs, etc. He has a two-thirds interest in the homestead farm, and has a fine home near the farm. In 1856 he married Sarah Fink, daughter of John Fink, of Newberry Township. They have had fifteen children, ten living: Charles, Anna M., George O., Harry, John A., Joseph, Jennie, Lerne, Himen and Minnie, and five deceased: Cora M., Bertha, Ella, Florence and Walter. Mr. and Mrs. Kilmore are members of the Lutheran Church.

D. P. KILMORE was born in Fairview Town- ship, February 12, 1836, son of Joseph and Eve (Peterman) Kilmore, also natives of the same township, and parents of the following children: Henry, David P., Mary J., John (deceased), Susan- na, Adeline (deceased) , Joseph, William and Eliza- beth (deceased). His great-grandfather Kilmore, came from Germany at an early date to America, settling in Adams County, Penn., and engaged in farming. He was a member of the Lutheran Church and a soldier in the Revolutionary war. Subject's grandfather, David Kilmore, was born in 1767, in Adams County, Penn .; followed farming chiefly. owning 200 acres of land in Fairview Township, and died in 1853. He was a member of the Lutheran Church, and in politics a Democrat. Joseph Kilmore, subject's father, followed farming all his life, and owned a farm of 136 acres in Fairview Township. He was a Democrat and a member of the Lutheran Church. D. P. Kilmore, at the age of twenty-two years, began farming for himself, and has since fol- lowed that occupation. In 1872 he bought a farm of 115 acres in Fairview Township, where he now resides. In 1864. he married Sarah J. Nailor, daugh- ter of Jacob Nailor, of Fairview Township. They have two children, Ira J. and Ray. Mrs. Kilmore is a member of the Church of God. Mr. Kilmore is a Democrat and has held several township offices.

JOHN GEORGE MAISCH, the ancestor of a numerous family of descendants, was a native of Germany. On the 16th of October, 1751, he set sail from the port of Rotterdam, Holland, with 106 passengers in the sailing vessel "Duke of Welling- ton," which paid respects to England by stopping, at Cowes, and two months later landed at Philadel- phia with its load of emigrants. He first settled in Chester County, Penn., but soon after arriving im- migrated to the Quaker settlement in the northern part of York County, and purchased a tract of land in Fairview Township, now owned by George Lefever. Some of his descendants joined the Soci- ety of Friends. Joseph, his eldest son, married Bar- bara Leidy. Their children were David. Samuel, Joseph, Frederick, Barbara and Martha. The father died in Fairview; the sons all moved to Indiana. Da- vid, second son of the immigrant, married Sarah Stickel, sister of Hon. Jacob Stickel, who was a mem- ber of State Constitutional Convention of 1838. Fred- erick, the youngest son of John George Maisch, was a soldier of the Revolution, and died of camp fever at Valley Forge, during the winter of 1777-78. He left one son, who moved to New Philadelphia, Ohio, and was killed by accident. Children of David Maish, son of John George Maisch: Jacob. George, David, Susan, intermarried with John Spangler; Polly, in- termarried with Michael Wollet ; Hannah, inter- married with David Crone, of West Virginia; Sarah. intermarried with George Moser; Jacob, married

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

Lydia Sibhart. They had three daughters: Mary Ann, Mrs. Zachariah Heindle; Ellen, Mrs. Benjamin Heindle ; Susan, Mrs. Sebastian Stevens; George, married Lydia Moser, daughter of George Moser. They had children: David, George W., Thomas Jefferson, Sarah, Mary, Emma, Ellen and Amanda. Dayid married Salome Neiman, daughter of George Neiman, of Conewago Township, a man of large landed estates, who died a few years ago, at the age of eighty-nine years eleven months twenty days, leaving 184 lineal descendants. David had three sons. George H .. Levi and Lewis.

GEORGE H. MAISH, Des Moines, Iowa, son of David Maish and Salome nee Neiman. was born in Conewago Township, this county, September 30, 1835. Being ambitious to engage in active busi- ness life, at the age of seventeen he secured a posi- tion as salesman in the extensive mercantile estab- lishment of P. A. & S. Small, of York, in whose service he continued for nine years. He was mar- ried on October 1, 1857, to Miss Charlotte E. Wea- ver, of York, the only daughter of Jeremiah Weaver. In 1861 he engaged in the coal business in York with John M. Brown, forming the firm of Brown & Maish, in which business he continued until 1865. when he was chosen teller of the York National Bank, continuing in this position in a very acceptable manner for four and a half years. In 1869, he, with his family removed to Des Moines, Iowa, where he arrived July 22, 1869. Here he engaged in the drug business with his brother-in- law, Charles A. Weaver. In the fall of 1875 he, with other gentlemen, organized the Iowa National Bank of Des Moines, of which he was chosen cash- ier. In January, 1885, at the earnest solicitation of many friends, he accepted the presidency of the State Insurance Company of Des Moines (the larg- est insurance company in Iowa having a cash capital of $200,000), to the management of which he is giving daily attention, in connection with his duties as cashier of the Iowa National Bank. His church connection is with the English Lutheran Church of Des Moines. In political sentiment Mr. Maish has been identified with the Republican par- ty since its organization. Of eight children born to Mr. and Mrs. Maish, seven are now living. Charles Edward died when two and a half years old; Will- iam Weaver, Annie Kate, Harriet Jane and Albert George were born in York, Penn., and Mary Martha. Georgie Elizabeth and Lottie Salome were born in Des Moines. Iowa.

CAPT. LEWIS MAISH was born July 2, 1840, in Spring Garden Township, York County, within a few miles of York. At the age of sixteen he was apprenticed to learn the machinist's trade at the Variety Iron Works, York, Penn .. where he re- mained until the breaking out of the Rebellion. In September, 1861, he took an active part in the rais- ing of a company for the Thomas A. Scott Regi- ment (afterward numbered Eighty-seventh Regi- ment Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry). On the organization of the regiment he was elected second- lieutenant of Company B. and soon after the regi- ment was called into active service, and May 26, 1863, he was promoted to first-lieutenant, and Octo- ber 25, 1863, to captain of his company. June 23, 1864, Capt. Maish was taken prisoner. while the lines of the army were being established in front of Petersburg, Va., and taken to Richmond, and con- fined in Libby Prison for a few days, after which he was taken, with about 3,000 other prisoners, to the State of Georgia. About 250 of the above being officers were left at Macon, (the principal military prison at that time for officers), the remainder be- ing taken to Andersonville. During the nine months of the captain's prison life he spent about one month at Macon, two months at Savannah,

Ga., about two months in the jail yard at Charleston, during the siege of that doomed city, and four months at Columbia, S. C .; a few days at Charlotte, N. C. From the latter place, in company with two companions (Capt. H. C. Smyser, of Balti- more, and Lieut. Anderson, of Philadelphia), he made his escape into the Union lines. Incidents of the captain's military and prison life. in connec- tion with his escape, would make too large a vol- nme to attempt here. Capt. Maish was mustered out of service March 24, 1865, having served his. country three and one-half years. After the close- of the war Capt. Maish returned to his native town, and resided there with his wife whom he had married. at Winchester, Va., and remained for one year, and! then spent one year in the South. ' In September, 1867, he located in the city of Minneapolis, Minn., where he is now residing. and engaged as an active member of the Variety Iron Works, in the manu- facture of machinery.

JACOB MILEY was born in Cumberland Coun- ty, Penn., July 21, 1827, son of Jacob and Catherine- (Miller) Miley, natives of Lebanon County, Penn. His grandfather Miley came from Germany at an early date, settled in Lebanon County, Penn., and followed farming and distilling. He drove a team during the war of 1812-14. Subject's father was born in 1790, was a miller by trade and engaged in distilling in Lebanon County, Penn. In 1828 he moved to Cumberland County, Penn., where he fol- lowed farming and milling. He died in 1842, aged fifty-two years. He had nine children: William (deceased), Ellen, Nancy, Richard (deceased), Mar- tha, Lydia, Levi, Jacob and Kate. Our subject at seventeen years of age began learning the tanner's trade, serving three years' apprenticeship, and worked at that trade eight years. He then bought- a farm in Cumberland County, Penn., where he re- mained three years, and in 1864 removed to York County, and bought 103 acres of improved land in Fairview Township. He also engaged in sawing timber three years. Mr. Miley owns 222 acres of timber land in Perry County, Penn. In 1859 he married Susan Hursh, a native of York County, Penn., and daughter of Christian Hursh. They have three children: William, John and Laura.

JOHN R. MOORE was born in Fairview Town- ship, April 15, 1840; son of John and Mary (Stett- ler) Moore, the former a native of Fairview Town- ship, the latter of Newberry Township, York Co., Penn. His grandfather Moore was born in York County, Penn., January 9, 1777; was a farmer by occupation and died February 29, 1852. His wife, Hannah (Sutton) Moore, died November 8, 1863, aged eighty-five years. Subject's grandfather Stett- ler was a native of York County, and a potter by trade. His wife was also a native of York County, Penn. John Moore. subject's father, was born in. 1811, was a farmer by occupation, and owned 170 .. acres of land in this township. He held the office. of justice of the peace in this township for a num- ber of years; was elected commissioner of York . County on the Democratic ticket in 1850, and in , 1869 elected associate judge of York County, Penn.,. but died before the expiration of his term, after .- serving about three years. He was a member of the Methodist Church, and died July 31, 1874. His wife died March 10, 1883, aged seventy years. They had the following children: Hananiah, Henry S. John R., Logan C., Hannalı E., Jacob A., Sarah. J .. and William (deceased). Our subject remained on, the home farm till he was twenty eight years of age, when he bought a farm of seventy acres from: his father, and has a finely improved place. De- cember 31, 1867, he married Anna M. Nailor, a na- tive of Cumberland County. and daughter of Jacob. Nailor; a. native. of. York County, Penn, They.

100

FAWN TOWNSHIP.

have two children, William E. and Flora J. Mrs. Moore is a member of the Church of God. Mr. Moore is a Democrat.

HENRY R. MOSSER was born in Fairview Township, York County, July 14, 1828, to Benja- min H. and Elizabeth (Rupley) Mosser. Dr. Ben- jamin Mosser, subject's great-grandfather, was a native of Berne, Switzerland. Henry Mosser, sub- ject's grandfather, a blacksmith, farmer and preach- er for the Dunkard Society, settled in Fairview Township in 1800; he married Susanna Neff, whose father owned the Columbia Ferry which Washing- ton crossed when congress was convened at York; and on one occasion, this lady, when a child of ten years, had the honor of sitting on Washington's knee while her mother was preparing breakfast. One of her children, Dr. Daniel Mosser, became Bishop of the Mennonite Reformed Church of Lan- caster County; another son, Rev. Joseph Mosser, Is in Salem, III. The father of our subject was born in 1802, was a farmer, owning 200 acres of land, also a lumber merchant; he was a prominent Whig, and was a member of the convention which nom- inated Gen. Scott for the presidency. He died in 1859, aged fifty-seven; his widow died in 1877, aged seventy-five years. Henry R. Mosser was reared on the home farm, and at the age of twenty-one joined his father in the lumber business; his father withdrew in 1857, and from 1864 to 1868 the firm was known as Mosser & Coover, at New Cumber- land. In 1852 Mr. Mosser married Margaret A., daughter of Jacob Yocum, of York; her mother was a daughter of Gen. A. Duncan. To this union were born two children: Mettie and Rev. Benja- min H. In 1859 Mrs. M. died, and in 1863 Mr. Mosser married Jennie, daughter of John G. Miller, and to this union also two children have been born. Annie and John C. The family are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

MICHAEL SHULER was born in Manchester Township, York County, Penn., June 8, 1811, a son of John and Rebecca Baker Shuler, the former a native of Berks County, Penn., and the latter of Manchester Township, York County. His grand- father Shuler was a native of Berks County, Peon., and a farmer by occupation. His grand- father Baker, who came from Germany at an early day and settled in York County, owned a large mill and finely improved farm in Con- ewago Township. Subject's father came to York County and settled in Manchester Town- ship, where he owned 212 acres of improved land. He was a member of the Reformed Church and died in 1844, aged sixty-six years. He had six children, of whom Michael and Daniel are living, and George, John, Eliza and Rebecca are deceased. Michael was reared on the farm, and when thirteen years old moved with his parents to Conewago Township. At the age of eighteen he began learn- ing the blacksmith's trade, serving two years' ap- prenticeship. He then began business for himself in Manchester Township. where he remained twelve years. In 1848 he moved to Fairview Township, where he followed farming, together with his trade, for many years. In 1862 he retired from active work. He has a farm of 149 acres, with fine resi- dence and buildings, where he resides, another farm where his son lives, and also thirty-six acres of im- proved land. In 1833 he married Jane Seward, daughter of John Seward. Mrs. Shuler was born in Lancaster County in 1815. They have had ten children: Anna, John, Charles H .. Eliza J., Mi- chael (deceased), Mary A., Ellen N., Amanda, Ade- line and Henrietta. Mr. and Mrs. Shuler are mem- bers of the Lutheran Church.

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History of York County, Pennsylvania : from the earliest period to the present time, divided into general, special, township and borough histories, with a biographical department appended, Part 177

Author: Gibson, John, Editor Publication date: 1886 Publisher: F.A. Battey Publishing Co., Chicago Number of Pages: 1104

Author: Gibson, John, Editor
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: F.A. Battey Publishing Co., Chicago
Number of Pages: 1104