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 181

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 181

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E. K. WALTERSDORFF was born April 21, 1836, in Heidelberg Township. York Co., Penn., son of Daniel and Catharine (Carver) Waltersdorff. His father came from Germany at the age of twen- ty-one years, and settled in Maryland, where he married Elizabeth Garrett, who died, leaving four sons and three daughters. After twenty years of

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residence in Maryland he removed to Heidelberg Township and there married again, having three sons and one daughter by this union. He was a defender of 1812, and died in 1863 aged ninety three years. E. K. Waltersdorff spent his early life on the farm and attended subscription schools till he was eighteen years of age. He was married, September 30, 1855, to Catharine Bricker, daughter of John and Christiana (Warner) Bricker, of Man- heim Township. They have had eleven children- eight sons and three daughters: Samuel A., James H., George W., an infant (deceased), Emanuel D., John F., Aaron E., William H. (deceased) Emeline (deceased), Eleanora and Alice Catharine. He worked his father's farm until 1877, when he moved to Heidelberg Township, to the Heistand farm, where he is now living. George W., the third son, was born July 4, 1862, and spent his early life on the farm. In 1881 and 1882 he attended York County Academy. He has taught school successfully in different town- ships, and is now a teacher in Heidelberg Town- ship, and is living with his father.

HOPEWELL TOWNSHIP.

SILUS ALTHOUSE, son of George and Maria (Silfens) Althouse, was born August 8, 1844, in Lan- caster County, Penn., hut removed to Hopewell Township with his father in 1852. He was brought up in this township, and at nineteen years of age commenced farming for himself. In 1873 he pur- chased the farm on which he now resides, contain- ing 145 acres, and engaged in farming. He was married, February 11, 1866, to Mary J. Householder, daughter of Henry Householder, of Hopewell Township. They have the following children: Catherine L., Emanuel F., Henry H., Bethey A. and Abbie G. Mr. and Mrs. Althouse are members of the Presbyterian Church of Stewartstown.

JOSEPH W. ANDERSON, son of Joseph R. and Elizabeth (Wilson) Anderson, of York County, Penn .. was born February 5, 1837, in Fawn Town- ship, York County. He lived on the farm with his parents until 1871, receiving his education at the public schools of the township. February 23, 1871, he was married to Lonisa Gemmill, daughter of Ben- jamin Gemmill, of Fawn Township. They have three children: Marion E., Howard Wilson and Joseph Ray. Mr. Anderson purchased his present farm of 202 acres in 1870, and has resided there ever since, dealing in phosphates in connection with farming. He and his wife belong to the Presby- terian Church of Hopewell Center.

HENRY ANSTINE, son of Henry and Eliza- beth (Miller) Anstine, of Hopewell Township, was born March 22, 1833, and is the tenth of thirteen children. Until he was twenty-six years of age he remained on the home farm, attending the public schools of the township, after which he purchased a portion of the homestead farm, where he has since resided and gradually enlarged his farm until he now owns about eighty-eight acres, with fine farm buildings. Jannary 17, 1856, he married Cath- erine Grove, daughter of Henry Grove, Esq., of Hopewell Township. They have five children: James R., Mary V. G., Ella E., Lottie E., George McC. In 1875 he was elected supervisor of his township, and re-elected the following year. In the fall of 1884 he received the Democratic nomina- tion for commissioner for three years, and was elected. The family are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Stewartstown.

MRS. MARY J. ARTHUR, widow of Richard Arthur. and daughter of A. S. and Rebecca (Turner) Jordan, of Hopewell Township, was born in Hope- well Township, York Co., Penn., May 10, 1826. She was married, in 1851, to Richard Arthur, son of John and Clemence (Thompson) Arthur, who was born in Harford County, Md., in 1825. He came to York County in 1854, and engaged in farming near Stewartstown, and after remaining there two years removed to Iowa, and engaged in stock-raising. He enlisted, in 1862, in Company B, Twenty-second Regiment Iowa Volunteers, and held the position of orderly sergeant. He was wounded at the battle of Vicksburg, from the effects of which he died, June 1, 1863. His widow returned to York County, Penn., in 1867, and purchased the residence she now occupies. She has three children: John S., T. Frank and Rebecca A. John S. is engaged in farming and canning in Baltimore County, Md. and T. F. Arthur is a dentist, in Baltimore, Md. Mrs. Arthur's brother was a medical doctor in Baltimore.

JOSEPH H. BELL is a son of David and Han- nah (Norris) Bell, of York County. He was born in January, 1817. and reared in Hopewell Township, and has been engaged in farming, carpentering and also butchering. In 1843 he was married to Sarah J. Thrne, who died on June 7, 1876. They had eleven children. In 1881 he married Lizzie (Wal- ter) Myer, of Hopewell Township. They have two children. Mr. Bell is a member of the Protestant Methodist Church.

CORNELIUS COLLINS, son of John and Mar- garet (Gemmill) Collins, was born November6, 1813. and was educated at the public schools of Hopewell Township. He remained on the home farm until 1848, when he married Elizabeth S. Gordon, dangh- ter of Andrew Gordon, of Hopewell Township, who emigrated from Ireland and settled on land which now forms a part of his son-in-law's farm. The grandfather of Mr. Collins came from Scot- land. Mr. Collins has a family of six children: Andrew G., John W., Alexander D., Mary E., Sam- uel C. Mrs. Collins died October 30, 1865. One of the sons, John W., is a resident of Cheyenne, Wyo- ming Territory, and is cashier for Martin E. Post & Co., bankers; Andrew G. is in Hebron, Neb .. and is president of a banking honse; Alexander is cash- ier of the Shrewsbury Savings Bank; Samuel is at home with his father, and helping him on the farm, which contains about 202 acres of cultivated land and forty acres of timber. Mr. Collins' second marriage was to Balinda J. Manifold, of Hopewell Township, daughter of Solomon Manifold; she died January 29, 1872, leaving one daughter-Sarah E. Mr. Collins is a member of the United Presbyterian Church of Hopewell Township.

WILLIAM'S. DOUGLASS, son of David and Ann (Brannon) Douglass, natives of Chanceford and Fawn Townships, respectively, was born in Hope- well Township in 1832, and was reared and edu- cated at the public schools in the same township. At the age of eighteen years he learned the plaster- er's trade, and at the age of twenty-one he returned to the homestead and assisted his father in farming. In 1882 he engaged in the hotel business at the old stand at Mt. Pleasant, formerly kept by his father for fifteen years. In addition to keeping hotel he does some farming, having, in 1878, purchased a farm of forty acres in Hopewell Township. In 1863 he was married to Lavinia Minnich, daughter of Joseph Minnich, of Hopewell Township, and has- six children; Samuel S., Emma J., Mathew W. William S., John McN. and Clarence. In 1864 he received the commission of second lieutenant in Company B, Two Hundred and Ninth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, from Gov. Curtin, and was discharged in 1865. He participated in the battles of Bermuda Hundred, Hatcher's Run and Fort

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Steadman. In 1865 he was appointed storekeeper and United States gauger for the Fifteenth Dis- trict of Pennsylvania, and held that office until 1868. Mr. Douglass is an active business man. His hotel, which is conveniently located, offers all the comforts a traveling man wants, and shows plainly that Mr. Douglass knows how to keep a hotel.

JUDGE ADAM EBAUGH, son of John and Sa- rah (Flowers) Ebaugh was born August 4, 1806, on the homestead. His grandparents, on mother's side, were natives of England and Alsace, respectively, who settled near Philadelphia. His grandparents on father's side (John Jacob) came from Switzer- land in 1740, and settled in what is now Carroll County, Md. His parents had twelve children, of whom he is the seventh son, the father dying in 1833. After being educated at the public schools he took charge of the farm and mill property, which his father had willed to him, and has since been principally engaged in farming and milling. In May, 1833, he married Willie E. Bosley, daughter of B. and Susan (Brooks) Bosley, who died in June, 1834. In 1837 he married Elizabeth Anstine, daughter of Henry and Elizabeth Anstine, of Hope- well, and had ten children: John, William C., Sa- rah A., Elizabeth R. (deceased), Mary E., Nancy E., Isabella A., Adam B., Martha J. F. (deceased) and Barbara L. Mr. Ebaugh has always been an active politician. He was drum-major for seven years of the Sixty-fourth Pennsylvania Militia; was after- ward elected lieutenant of the Jackson Grays, of Shrewsbury. and elected captain of the Mechan- icsburgh Rifles, which office he held for twelve years, during which time his command was called out to suppress the riots at Philadelphia, in 1843. February 6, 1834, he was appointed justice of the peace by Gov. George Wolf. In 1837 he was elect- ed assessor of Hopewell Township; he served six- teen years as school director, and in 1840 was elect- ed to the legislature for 1841-42. In 1843 he was elected senator, and served in 1844-45-46. After that he was appointed State agent for the York & Cumberland Railroad by Gov. Bigler, and held that position for six years. In 1856 he was elected as. sociate judge for five years, and was re-elected in 1861 for five years more. He served in about twen- ty county and five State conventions. Mr. Ebaugh has voted for fifty-seven years, and has always been a sterling Democrat. He is a member of the Ma- sonic order, York Lodge No. 266, and of Mt. Zion No. 74, of York I. O. O. F., and is a member of the Baptist Church at Hopewell. At his advanced age he is in excellent health.

DR. JOHN L. FREE is a son of Peter and Naomi (Lowe) Free, of Baltimore County, Md., and was born in that county March 5, 1821, and came with his parents, in 1823, to Shrewsbury Township, where they settled and resided until the father's death in 1860. He received his early education in the schools of Shrewsbury, took up the study of medicine in 1844, and graduated from the Univer- sity of Maryland in 1848. He first practiced med- icine in Dillsburgh and New Freedom until 1849, when he went to Philadelphia and attended a course of lectures. In 1850 he moved to Stewardstown, built his present residence, and established an ex- tensive practice, which he enjoys to the present day. In 1852 he was married to Martha J. Jordan- of Hopewell Township, who died in 1871. His sec. ond marriage was, in 1873. to Jennie A. Wiley, of Hartford County. Md. They have four living children; Jennie A., Evans M., Naomi E. and Liz- zie E. He and his wife are members of the Method- ist Episcopal Church. Dr. Free was one of the founders of the English and Classical Institute, located at Stewartstown, of which he has been a trustee since its organization, now over thirty years. He also took an active part in securing a charter

from the legislature, constituting the borough of Stewardstown. Since his residence here it has been a prosperous, growing place. Three churches have been built, and with the railroad nearly completed to New Freedom, its further prosperity seems as- sured.

CORNELIUS GEESEY, son of Samuel and Sarah (Reichard) Geesey, of York Township, was born May 12, 1849. He remained on the home- stead until he was nineteen years of age, when he began learning the trade of stone-mason, at which he worked for two years, and afterward followed bricklaying for eight years. In 1876, in company with John Kohler, he purchased a farm of 197 acres at Chanceford, and engaged in farming for five years, after which he removed to Winterstown, and purchased a hotel, which he has kept ever since. He is also engaged in manufacturing ice cream. He was married, in 1875, to Mary Ness, of York Township. They have three children: Laura, Sarah E. and Francis. Mr. and Mrs. Geesey are members of the Lutheran Church.

JOHN C. GEMMILL, son of Joseph and Marga- ret (Collins) Gemmill, was born April 4, 1822. His great-grandfather, William Gemmill, was a native of Scotland and immigrated to America some time previous to 1750, settling in Hopewell Township, York Co., Penn., a part formerly known as Shrews- bury Township, taking up about 1,000 acres of land. Joseph Gemmill, father of John C., was born April 26, 1794, on the farm now occupied by his son. He was at one time engaged in distilling liquors. He reared six children, of whom John C. was the eldest, and who was brought up on the farm. Joseph Gemmill, who had been in the war of 1812, died in 1868, and at his death the farm of 200 acres came into the possession of his son, John C., who in the same year was married to Rosanna Mckinley, daughter of Stephen McKinley, of Chanceford Township. They have four children: Ulysses C., Jeanetta B., A. A., Ada, and John M. Mr. Gemmill was drafted during the late war, in 1861, but was exempted on account of disability. He is a mem- ber of the Masonic Lodge of Shrewsbury, and the family are members of the Presbyterian Church of Stewartstown. He has a clock iu his possession which was made by John Gemmill, in Carlisle; it belonged to his great-grandfather, and has always remained in the family.

JOHN S. GEMMILL, son of Robert and Eliza- beth (Dorris) Gemmill, of York County, Penn., was born December 13, 1844, on the farm where he now resides. His grandfather came from Scotland and settled on a farm of 135 acres, near New Park, Penn. The father of John S. was born in 1807, was brought up on a farm, and finally moved to a farm of 145 acres, which is now owned by his son, and where he died in 1878. John S. was reared on a farm and has followed farming since. He was mar- ried, in 1872, to Rachel B. Robinson, daughter of William Robinson, of Harford County, Md. They have eight children: Nettie B., Mary E., William James, Charles C., Edith P., Edna L .. Robert B. and Joseph S Mr. and Mrs. Gemmill are members of the Presbyterian Church of Centre. Robert Gemmill, subjeet's father, was at one time commissioner of York County, Penu., for three years, and has also held several minor township offices.

JOHN K. GREEN, son of Giles T. and Debo- rah (Kirkwook) Green, natives of Harford County, Md., was there born September 6, 1829. His par- ents came to York County, Penn., in 1830. His father settled at Grove's Mill, where he carried on blacksmithing. He died in 1864, and the mother died in 1847; he left eleven children by his first wife, of whom John K. is the fifth child. The latter lived with his grandparents until fifteen years

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of age, when he came to York County. In 1851 he began learning the carpenter's trade, which he has since followed. In 1862 he enlisted in Company H, Seventh Maryland Vounteers, and served until the close of the war, participating in the battles of the Wilderness, Cold Harbor, Five Forks and Petershurgh. In January, 1864, he was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant, which rank he held to the close of the war. He came to Stewartstown in 1853, where he has since resided, and'owns some very valuable properties in the town. He was mar- ried, October 12, 1854, to Alice A. Fulton, daughter of Hugh and Jane Fulton, of Hopewell Township, and has two children: Hugh T. and Ida May (Ritchie). Mr. Green is a member of the G. A. R., of Stewartstown, has been justice of the peace of the borough for five years, and at present time holds the office of notary public.

ANTHONY GRIME (or as he is familiarly called Webster Grime), son of Daniel and Catherine (Sny- der) Grime, was horn February 12, 1825, in York Township. He received a common school ednca- tion and taught school for ten terms in York, Wind- sor and Springfield Townships. At the breaking out of the Rebellion Mr. Grime promptly respond- ed to his country's call, and enlisted in Company C, Eighty-seventh Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers (August 27, 1861), and was with his regiment until taken prisoner June 22. 1864, in front of Peters- burg. He was taken to Libby prison, then to Castle Thunder and Belle Island; was taken to Danville; after a short stay was removed to Ander- sonville, remaining a prisoner of war from June 22, 1864, to March 31, 1865. After heing honorably discharged he returned to his native county, where he has since resided. He has, for many years, been the weekly correspondent of the Pennsylvanian, and for some time correspondent of the Weekly Repub- lican, Gazette and True Democrat for Hopewell and surrounding townships.

WILLIAM HAMMEL was horn in Baltimore, Md., and is a son of Jacob and Margaret (Gruber) Hammel. His mother was a native of Philadelphia, Penn. His father was born in Ger- many, and immigrated to this country in 1821, set- tling in Baltimore, Md. Our subject, at the age of nineteen years, began learning the trade of coach painter, and served three years apprenticeship. In 1865 he came to Hopewell Township, and purchased a farm of 150 acres. In 1867 he returned to Balti- more, and engaged in the wholesale liquor business. He has one of the finest places in the township.

JESSE HAMMER, SR., son of George and Cather- ine (Purkeypile) Hammer, was born November 3, 1819. His father was a native of Germany and immigrated to this country at an early date, and set- tled in Baltimore, where he engaged in the butcher business. Ile died when his son Jesse was very young, and two years later the mother removed to Hopewell Township, York Co., Penn., where the son, Jesse. was reared and educated in the public schools. When Jesse was eight years old his mother died, and he was adopted by his uncle, Moses Leib. At the age of twenty-one years, Mr. Hammer was married to Mary A. Winemiller, daughter of John Winemiller, of Hopewell Town- ship. In 1847 he purchased a farm of 130 acres, where he now resides. They have three children living: Catharine A., Mary J. and George W. Mr. and Mrs. Hammer belong to the Presbyterian Church of Hopewell Center.

J. C. HAMMOND, son of Henry and Sarah (Coulson) Hammond, natives of Baltimore County, Md., was born in Hopewell Township, York County, May 12, 1834. His grandfather, Philip Hammond, came to York County in 1815, settling in Hopewell Township. Henry Hammond, subject's father, was born July 3, 1793, came to

York County in 1815, and settled in Hopewell Township, where he resided until his death in 1873. He held the office of commissioner from 1865 to 1868. The mother of our subject is still living at the age of eighty-seven years. J. C. remained on the home farm until 1876, when he engaged as clerk with James Fulton, of Stewartstown, with whom he remained four years. He is now a dealer in agricultural implements, also has a book store and circulating library. In 1867 he was appointed mercantile appraiser for the county, and held that office one year. He owns two valuable properties in Stewartstown, an interest in a farm of 360 acres in Baltimore County, Md., and has an interest iu a farm of 100 acres in Harford County, Md.

DR. CHARLES G. HILDEBRAND, son of Dietrich and Maria (Leider) Hildebrand, natives of York County, Penn., was born in Loganville, York Connty, December 31, 1859. His father, also born at Loganville, is a shoe-maker by trade, and in 1864 was elected justice of the peace, which office he still holds. He had a family of three children, of whom Charles G. is the eldest. Our subject was educated at the public schools, and at the age of fifteen years began teaching. After teaching three years he entered the York Collegiate Institute, where he remained one year. He then studied medicine with Dr. G. P. Yost, of Loganville, for three years, after which he took two courses of lectures at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, at Baltimore, graduating in 1881. He located at Winterstown the following April, and has since resided there, enjoying an extensive practice. In 1878 he married Kate Feigley. daughter of Martin Feigley, of Loganville. They have two children: Esther M. and Robert L. Dr. Hildebrand is a member of the York County Medical Society and the American Medical Association. He has been one of the council of Winterstown, and at present is school director. His wife is a member of the Brethren Church of Springfield.

JAMES C. JORDAN, son of Joseph and Mary (Cowden) Jordan, was born July 8, 1832. His mother was a daughter of Matthew Cowden, of Har- risburg, Penn. His grandfather, Thomas Jordan, a native of Ireland, immigrated to this country in 1760. and settled in what is now known as Hope- well Township, and on the same property now owned by his grandson. He was a prominent man in the county in his day; was justice of the peace for many years. He was married first to a Miss Hood, of Cecil County, Md., who left one child, John Jordan. The second marriage was to Ann Dixon, of Pennsylvania, and they had six children. Subject's father died when James C. was fifteen years old. At twenty-one years of age, James C. took the management of the home farm, having purchased his brother's share. In 1879 he engaged in canning fruit and vegetables, which he carried on to a large extent. He was married, March 12, 1857, to Mary Mitchell, daughter of Joseph and Margaret Mitchell, and grand-daughter of Rev. Dr. Morton, of Chanceford. They have eight children: Mary M., Joseph M., Thomas M., Annie M., James F., Samuel M., Ralph R. and George I. Mr. Jordan was one of Gov. Pollock's aides in 1856, with the rank of lieutenant-colonel, Mrs. Jordan died in 1876. Mr. Jordan is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and is also a member and elder of Centre Presbyterian Church, of Hopewell. His father was a soldier in the war of 1812. Mr. Jordan now owns 300 acres, which descended to him from his grandfather, who on arriving here took up about 500 acres.

J. R. W. KEESEY, son of Jacob and Catherine (Hyson) Keesey, of Hopewell Township, York County, Penn., was born in said township, May 17, 1855. At the age of ten years he moved to Chance-

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ford Township with his parents. In 1872 he re- turned to Hopewell Township, and began learning the milling business with his grandfather, Hyson, in whose employ he remained until 1877, when he entered the mill and carried on the business four years. In 1881 he purchased a store property and twenty-two acres of land at Mt. Pleasant, and carried on a general merchandise business for two years; then he sold his stock of goods and leased the store. He then followed the carpenter's trade for six months, after which he again leased Hyson's Mill, where he has since been doing a very exten- sive business. In 1881 he was married to Effie Hyson, daughter of Robert Hyson. of Hopewell Township, and has one child, Walter O. H. Mr. and Mrs. Keesey are members of the Presbyterian Church, of Hopewell.

GEORGE W. KERLINGER, son of Henry and Catherine (Ehrhart) Kerlinger, was born in Loganville, Penn., July 6, 1855, and is the sixth of a family of seven children. The father came from Maryland and the mother was a native of Adams County, Penn. Henry Kerlinger, subject's father, purchased the present farm in 1864. He built a tannery and established an extensive tanning busi- ness, which he carried on until 1883, when he re- tired from active business and removed to Stewarts- town, where he is now residing. George W. attended school in Loganville and in Hopewell Township. He was married, in 1880, to Mary V. Anstine, daughter of Henry Anstine, of Hopewell Township. They have two children: Harry A. and Nellie E. In 1884 Mr. Kerlinger was elected town- ship clerk for a term of one year and was re-elected for 1885. He is a member of the Methodist Episco- pal Church of Stewartstown.

ANDREW LEIB, son of John and Mary (Per- key) Leib, of Hopewell Township, York Co., Penn., was born April 8, 1821. His grandfather, Christian Leib, a native of York County, was in the Revolu- tionary war, and came to Hopewell Township after the war. He settled three miles from where his grandson now lives, and took up and purchased about 1,500 acres of land. He left four children. Andrew Leib, our subject, was born on the home- stead, and is the second son in a family of twelve children. He was married, in 1852, to Rachel Wil- son, daughter of William and Margaret Wilson, of Hopewell Township, and settled near Stewartstown, where he purchased a farm. Subsequently he re- moved to his present farm of thirty-four acres. They have three children: Mary, Margaret J. and Sarah E. Mr. Leib was school director for ten years. He and his wife are members of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church. His father was in the war of 1812.

JESSE P. LEIB, son of John Leib, of Hopewell Township, was born October 30, 1836, on the farm occupied by his father. He was married, in 1866, to Mary Sellers, daughter of Levi Sellers, of Hope- well Township. They have five children: Mary E .. Annie L., Everett S., Harry C. and Jessie. The place where he resides now and where he was born, was purchased by him in 1878, and contains seven- ty-eight acres. Mr. and Mrs. Leib are members of the Presbyterian Church of Stewartstown.

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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 181

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