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 182

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 182

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SAMUEL C. LIGGIT, son of William and Griz- zella (Collins) Liggit, of Hopewell Township, York County, was born May 17, 1837. He was brought up on the homestead in Hopewell Township, where he remained until his twentieth year, when he be- gan learning the trade of miller with his brother. In 1860 he was engaged in milling at Peach Bottom. In September, 1864, he enlisted in the Ninth Penn- sylvania Cavalry, and served until the end of the war, being with Gen. Sherman on his "march to the sea." In 1865 he purchased the mill property, where he now resides, and is engaged in milling.

He also owns about forty acres of land, which he farms. In March, 1864, he was married to Mary Gemmill, daughter of David Gemmill, of Hopewell Township. They have seven children: Martha G., Florence G., Sarah C., William A., Laura J., Jo- seph E. and Cornelius W. Mr. Leggit is a member of the E. B. Morrison Post 387. G. A. R. He and his wife belong to the Guinston United Presbyterian Church of Chanceford.

MRS. HARRIETT R. LONG is the widow of William S. Long, son of John and Harriet (Steel) Long, who was born in Lancaster County, Penn., in 1818, and died in 1869. He was engaged very ex- tensively with his brother, Hugh H. Long, in mill- ing. Mrs. Long was born in Hopewell Township, York Co., Penn., April 2, 1829. Her father, Archibald S. Jordan, was a paymaster in the war of 1812. He had ten children, of whom Mrs. Long was the sixth child. She was married in 1856, but has no children. Her husband was prominently engaged in raising troops in the late war, and was a highly esteemed citizen. After his death his wid- ow returned to Stewartstown to the homestead, but subsequently located in the village, where she now resides.

THOMAS B. McDONALD, a son of John and Catharine (Winand) McDonald, was born in Fawn Township, York Co., Penn., March 3, 1828. His father came to York County, Penn., from Harford County, Md., when young, and located in Hopewell Township, where he followed the trade of a shoe- maker. He afterward removed to Fawn Township. where he remained a number of years, and then re- turned to Hopewell Township, where he remained until his death in 1881. He had nine children, of whom Thomas B. is the fifth. Our subject was reared in this township, and in 1847 began learning the blacksmith's trade in Chanceford Township, and, with the exception of a few years, has since fol- lowed that trade. In 1851 he was married to Eliza- beth J .. daughter of Alexander Thompson, of Lower Chanceford Township. They have three children: Dr. David M., John A. and William T. Mr. Mc- Donald held the office of assessor one year and was elected county auditor in 1881, and still holds that office. He and his wife are members of the United Presbyterian Church of Hopewell.

WILLIAM H. McDOWELL, son of William and Sarah (McLean) McDowell, was born in Windsor Township, York Co., Penn., November 15, 1812, and is the third of a family of eleven children. The father also was born in Windsor Township, and the mother in Hopewell Township. His father was in the war of 1812. Our subject was reared by John Anstine, and at the age of twenty-one years became engaged in the iron furnaces, with which he was connected for nearly twelve years, working at dif- ferent furnaces. In 1849 he purchased his present farm of 101 acres near Stewartstown, where he has since resided. In 1845 he was married to Catherine Hilderman, daughter of Adam Hilderman, of Hope- well Township. They have seven children: Eliza- beth, William H .. Jacob. Agnes, Franklin, Adam and Maggie. In 1845 Mr. McDowell engaged in distill- ing liquors, which he followed for three years, and also distilled apples on his farm. He has held the offices of auditor and supervisor in the township. He and his wife belong to the Reformed Church of Mount Pleasant.

ADAM McDOWELL, son of William and Cath- erine (Hildebrand) McDowell, was born in Hopewell Township, York Co., Penn., March 16, 1859. He remained on the homestead, following farming un- til 1884, when, in March of that year, le estab- lished a cigar factory at Stewartstown, Penn., and is doing an extensive business May 9, 1884. he was married to Amanda Meier, daughter of Jobn Meier, of Hopewell Township.

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JOHN A. MANIFOLD, son of Salem and Lizzie T. Manifold, was born in Fawn Township, York Co., Penn., March 9, 1830. His great great-grandfather, Edward Manifold, emigrated from England before 1776. Subject's father was born December 6, 1799, in Fawn Township, York County, but spent the latter part of his life in Hopewell Township. He had eleven children, of whom John A. is the eldest. While the latter was yet a child, his parents moved to Hopewell Township. In 1850 he began learning the carpenter's trade, and moved to Indiana in 1854, where he remained six years. He then went to Missouri, where he remained six years, returning to Hopewell Township, where he has since resided. He married Emeline Diling, of Indiana, and they have four children living: Eliza M., Franklin S., Cora W. and Alonzo J. The farm on which Mr. Manifold resides, and which contains seventy-six acres, he purchased in 1865. He, his wife and fam- ily are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Zion.

WILLIAM MARTIN was born February 15, 1814, in Franklin Township, York County, and is a son of John and Elizabeth (Lehmer) Martin, of Franklin Township. In 1846, he removed to York, Penn., where he engaged in the hotel business for eight years; then moved to Liverpool. now called Manchester, where he kept a hotel for some time. He then returned to York, and engaged in mercan- tile business. In the fall of 1860 he was elected sheriff of York County, and held that position three years. In 1863, he came to Hopewell Town- ship, purchased twenty-four acres of land, and has since been engaged in farming. He was married, October 14. 1833, to Miss Cassandra Small, daughter of Joseph Small, of York. Mr. Martin is a member of the I. O. O. F. He and wife are members of the Lutheran Church.

DR. JOSEPH R. MARTIN, son of James and Eliza (Morrison) Martin, of Lancaster County, Penn., was born September 14, 1838, in Lancaster County, Penn. He received his early education in the public schools of his township, and at the age of twenty years commenced the study of medicine with his brother, Dr. John Martin, at Georgetown, Penn., and graduated from Jefferson Medical Col- lege, Philadelphia, in 1862. The same year he re- ceived a commission as assistant surgeon of the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth Pennsylvania Volun- teers. On leaving the service, in 1863, he located in Penningtonville, and commenced the practice of medicine. In the fall of 1864 he received an ap- pointment as surgeon of the officer's hospital at Alexandria, Va., and remained there until the close of the war. He then returned to Penningtonville, and in the spring of 1869 removed to his present place of residence. He was married in 1866 to Ab- bie J. Smith, of Hopewell Township, daughter of Rev. H. Smith. They have six children living; Sarah J., Annie L., Harriet B., Dwight C., Jone- well and John R. Dr. Martin is a member of the Masonic fraternity No. 343, Skerret Lodge of Cochransville, Penn. He and wife are members of the Stewartstown Presbyterian Church.

HENRY S. OVERMILLER, son of Frederick and Mary (Snyder) Overmiller, natives of Hopewell Township, but later residents of Loganville, was born in Loganville, Penn., August 2, 1844, and is the twelfth in a family of thirteen children. He was reared and educated at Loganville, and re- mained with his parents until 1865, when he en- gaged in the mercantile business at Hartley Post- office, where he remained for two years, doing a thriving business. In 1867 he engaged in farming in Windsor Township, but exchanged the farm in the fall of the same year, and moved to a farm near Dallastown, where he remained eight years, and in connection with farming followed the mercantile

business and huckstering. He then went to Dallas- town Station, on the Peach Bottom Railroad, where he again engaged in the mercantile business, and was also postmaster and agent of the York & Peach Bottom Railroad. Ile remained there two years, and in 1878 moved to Virginia, where he purchased . a farm, which he cultivated for three years. He then moved back to York County, Penn., and pur- chased a store at Mount Pleasant, Hopewell Town- ship, where he has since resided, and has built up an extensive business. He also works a farm of twenty-two acres. He was married, in 1865, to Hannah M. Althouse, daughter of George Althouse (deceased). of Hopewell Township. They had seven children; George F., Oscar H. (deceased), Virginia L., Daniel W., Wilburt F., Tyburtus J. and Silvanus.

JACOB SAYLOR, son of Jacob and Elizabeth (Ramsay) Saylor, was born in Manchester Town- ship, York Co .. Penn., December 25, 1837, and is the fifth of a family of nine children. His father and mother were born in Manchester Township- the latter died in 1858. Jacob Saylor, our subject, at the age of twenty-one years, began farming, which he followed two years. He then learned blacksmithing, and worked in the car shops at York for two years. In 1863 he went to Illinois, and worked at farming for two years, and then re- turned to York, Penn .; was again employed in the car shops until 1867, when he began selling machin- ery astraveling salesman. In 1870 he rented the hotel property near Stewartstown, known as Pat- terson's Hotel. where he remained three years, and gained an enviable reputation as a first class hotel keeper. In 1875 he rented the Donglass hotel, near Winterstown; remained there only one year, when he removed to the Plank Road, and engaged in smithing for one year. In 1877 he rented a hotel at Winterstown one year, and then rented Snyder's ho- tel, where he alsoremained one year, after which he removed to the present hotel property at Cross Roads where he has since been located, and is enjoying an extensive trade. In connection with keeping hotel he is also dealing in agricultural implements and horses. He was married, in 1859, to Henrietta Al- bright, daughter of John Albright, of York, and has four children; William E., George B., Emma K. and Clara E. His wife died August 4, 1868. His second marriage was in 1869 to Mary Jane Portner, daughter of Mrs. Mary Portner, of Cross Roads, and they have one child-Henry Irving. In 1880 Mr. Saylor was elected constable of his township. and held that office four years. He and wife are members of the Lutheran Church, of Mount Pleas- ant. He is now building a hotel on property which he owns at Felton Station, on the York & Peach Bottom Railroad, where he intends loeating.

WILLIAM SECHRIST, son of John and Eliz- abeth (Grove) Sechrist, of York County, was born December 24, 1819. At the age of seventeen years he was apprenticed to John Gemmill, in the manu- facturing of woolen goods, and at the age of twenty- two years entered into partnership in that business with Benjamin Hank, who lived four miles from Wrightsville. in Windsor Township. In 1850 he bought out John Gemmill, and in 1852 built a new factory, known as Keseling's Mills, in Hopewell, and remained there until 1867, when he sold out to George Keseling, and then removed to his farm. where he now resides, having bought of Arthur I. Edie. His farm contains 143 acres of well-improved land. He was married, January 17, 1850, to Anna M. Becker, daughter of John Becker, late justice of the peace of York. They have three children living.

JAMES M. SMITH, son of Robert M. and Liza (Griffith) Smith, was born September 17, 1845, in Chanceford Township, York Co., Penn. His

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parents were natives of Hopewell Township and Chanceford Township, respectively, and his grand- mother a native of Ireland. He was educated at Stewartstown Academy and at Shrewsbury, and in 1865 commenced teaching school. After teaching one term in Hopewell Township, he took a course at Easton's Commercial College at Poughkeepsie, N. Y., where he remained about four months. He then entered Waynesburg College, where he re- mained one year, being compelled to discontinue on account of poor health. Returning home he remained on the homestead one year, and then en- tered a general store at Stewartstown, where he remained only five months, and then returned to the homestead for two years. In 1872 he was mar- ried to Jennie E. Kerlinger, daughter of Henry Kerlinger, of Hopewell Township. They have three children: Clayton C., Annie F. and Olive E. After his marriage he attended his father's farm during harvest for three years, after which he returned to his present farm of 300 acres. In connection with farming, he also deals in phosphates and agricultural implements. Mr. and Mrs. Smith are members of the Presbyterian Church of Hopewell.

WILLIAM C. SMITH, son of Sampson and Eleanor (McAllister) Smith, of Hopewell Township. York Co., Penn., was born in that township, October 22, 1848, and received his education at the public school and at Stewartstown and Shrewsbury Academies. He remained with his parents on the homestead until 1871, when he engaged as a clerk in the store of Mr. Logan, at Cross Roads, and re- mained there one year. In 1872 he was appointed collector of county, State and school taxes, which office he held for two years. In 1874 be purchased a building lot at Cross Roads, erected a dwelling house and store, and in 1875 established a general merchandise business, and has built up a very ex- tensive trade. In 1877 he was married to Louisa M. Zellers, daughter of Levi Zellers, of Hopewell Township. They have no children. Mr. Smith was elected justice of the peace in 1881, which office he still holds; was also school director for one year in 1877, and auditor for three years, and in 1880 was engaged in taking the census of the township. He and wife are members of the Presbyterian Church of Stewartstown.

REV. THOMAS LOVE SPRINGER, son of Stephen and Mary Elizabeth (Love) Springer, of Newcastle County, Del., was born August 25, 1849, is the eldest of five children; two of his brothers are practicing physicians in Delaware. He re- ceived his education at the public schools and the Newark Academy. In 1867 he entered La- fayette College, at Easton, Penn., and gradu- ated in June, 1871; in September, 1871, he en- tered Princeton Theological Seminary, from which he graduated in April, 1874. During the vacation of his junior year he preached in a Congregational Church in Maine. During his next vacation he preached in a Presbyterian Church in Illinois. In November, 1874. he was called to the pastorate of the Hopewell Presbyterian Church, and was or- dained and installed by the Presbytery of West- minster, December 1, 1874, and is still pastor of said Church. November 9, 1875, he was married to Mary Gould Bowker, daughter of Frederick and Rachael A. Bowker, of Chester. They have three living children: Courtland Bowker, born May 15, 1878; Mary Cronham, born April 12, 1881, and James Love, born October 22, 1883.

ROBERT F. STABLER, son of Jared and Mar- garet J. (Koller) Stabler, of Shrewsbury Township, was born in Shrewsbury Township, York Co., Penn., September 26, 1851. His father was born in 1820, and carried on the lime business in York County for a number of years, subsequently remov- ing to Railroad Borough, where he engaged in mill-

ing and dealing in grain, which occupation he still follows. Robert F. received his education at the public schools of the township and at the academy of Shrewsbury and New Freedom. In 1869 he be- gan learning the milling trade in his father's mill at Railroad Borough, where he remained until 1872, when he engaged in railroading and farming for three years. In 1875 he came to Hopewell Town- ship, and engaged in milling. He remained there five years, after which he went to Stewartstown, and kept a feed store for three years, and then went back to Ebaugh's Mills, where he has since resided, having charge of a grist and saw-mill. He was married, in 1871. to Artilda Kunkel, daughter of A. W. Kunkel, of Shrewsbury Township. They have six children: Charles W., Clara L., Addie E., Minnie S., Daniel A. and Mary Ann. Mr. Stabler is a mem- her of the Brotherhood of Stewartstown, and his wife is a member of the Lutheran Church.

ADAM F. STRAYER, son of David W. and Lydia (Strayer) Strayer, was born in Lancaster County, Penn., February 25, 1846, came to Hope- well Township in 1848. His father was born in Hopewell Township in 1829, and has always resided there, with the exception of a few years spent in Lancaster County. Adam F. received his educa- tion at the public schools and at Pleasant Grove Academy. He remained on the farm until 1863, when he enlisted in Company C. Twenty-first Pennsylvania Cavalry, for nine months; after which he enlisted in Company B, One Hundred and Eighty-eighth Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. In the battle of Chapin's Farm he was wounded in the right arm, which was subsequently amputated. After the close of the war he followed school teach- ing, and taught in this township eleven years. In 1881 he was elected justice of the peace for the borough of Winterstown, which office he still holds. In 1867 he was married to Sarah E. Snyder, daugh- ter of Jacob Snyder. They have no children. In 1868 he was appointed postmaster, which office he held until 1981. He and wife are members of the U. B. Church at Winterstown.

ARCHIBALD THOMPSON, son of Alexander and Elizabeth (Duncan) Thompson, of Hopewell and Fawn Townships, respectively, was born June 7, 1804. His grandfather, Archibald Thompson, a native of Hopewell Township, settled on the pres- ent homestead before the Revolutionary war. Sub- ject's father was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, and served under Capt. Moffett. Our subject was reared on the homestead where he always lived. He was married, February 15, 1827, to Hannah Meats, of Hopewell Township, who died July 16, 1839. July 29, 1841, he married his second wife, and has eight children: Alexander, Samuel II. S., James G., Archibald J. G., John M., Margaret J. A., Ellen M. E., and Elijah P. For twenty-five years he was connected with his father in the manufacturing of cider brandy. He has held two military commis- sions, captain and first lieutenant; was appointed by Gov. Porter justice of the peace of Hopewell Town- ship, and served ten years. Besides these offices he has held nearly all the public positions in the gift of the people of the township. From his father he inherited 285 acres of land, on which two of his sons are living: Samuel H. S. and Archibald J. G. Samuel H. S. was married in 1880 to Catharine A. McDole, of Hopewell Township; she died in 1884, leaving two children: Archibald W. J. and Anna S. M. Archibald J. G. married Susan F. Baird, of Hopewell Township, and has two children: Ethel and Ralph B. Mr. Thompson is a member of the Presbyterian Church of Hopewell and Stewartstown. and has been an elder and one of the builders of the church.

WILLIAM THOMPSON was born in Chance- ford Township, York Co .; Penn., January 1, 1841.

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His parents were Archa and Elizabeth (Heffner) Thompson. natives of Maryland and Pennsylvania, respectively, and of English and German descent. They reared a family of two sons and six daughters, and buried four children in. infancy. William Thompson, the eldest living of this family, was reared on a farm. In 1862 he was married in his native township to Margaret Jane Blouse, daughter. of Solomon Blouse, of the same township, and of German descent. They had twelve children, two of whom died: Rebecca, six years of age, burned to death by accident; Wellington. deceased, aged two years. Those living are Elizabeth, William James, Annie, Ella, Mary, Fannie, Andrew Leib. Jesse R., Georgie, Nettie and Llewellyn. Mr. Thompson owns 149 acres of well cultivated land in Hopewell Township, which he has been farming since 1863. He has been assessor, has been a delegate to the Democratic county conventions, and is connected with a building and loan association at York, Penn. His father who lives in Shrewsbury Township, is now seventy-four years of age.

JAMES H. TROUT, son of Abram and Violet (Morrison) Trout, of Hopewell and Peach Bottom Townships, York Co., Penn .. was born July 29, 1849, in Harford Connty, Md. He received his education in the Harford and York County public schools. He came to York County in 1868, and in 1872 was married to Lizzie Hendricks, daughter of Thomas Hendricks, of Hopewell Township. They have two children: Violet C. and Jesse H. Mr. Trout purchased the farm on which he resides, which contains abont sixty-five acres, in 1877.

WILLIAM VENUS, son of Henry and Anna (Sykes) Venus, natives of York County and the north of England, respectively, was born in Shrews- bury Township, September 3, 1843. He was edu- cated at the public schools of the township, and at the age of twenty-three years engaged as a clerk in a store, and one year later he removed to Carroll County, Md., where he engaged in the milling busi- ness with his father. In 1868 he returned to Shrews- bury and engaged in the carpenter business. In 1870 he again engaged in the mercantile business in Hopewell Township, and in 1875 he moved to Winterstown, where he opened a general store. In 1877 he sold out and removed to Shrewsbury Town- ship, where he engaged in his old business-store keeping. In March, 1877, he removed to Hopewell Township, where he is at present engaged in keep- ing a general store. He was married, in 1870, to Elizabeth Gladfelter, of Shrewsbury Borough, and has six children: James A., Charles H., Sadie B., Annie C., Daniel E. and an infant.

JAMES W. WALLACE, son of William and Jeannette (Gemmill) Wallace, was born April 26, 1847, in Harford County, Md., where his parents resided, with whom he came to York County, Penn., when only three years old. His parents were born in York County. Penn. Until 1873 he remained on the homestead farming, after which he purchased a merchandising business, formerly owned by his father. In 1882 he built a dwelling house, and in 1884 a store. In connection with the store, he works a farm of ninety-five acres. In 1872 he was married to Sarah A. McCall, daughter of Matthew McCall, of Fawn Township, and has three children: Mar- garet J. A., Anna M. and Marion A. Mr. and Mrs. Wallace are members of the United Presbyterian Church of Hopewell. Mr. Wallace was appointed postmaster of Hopewell Centre in 1875, which office he still holds.

WILLIAM H. WINEMILLER, son of Joseph and Mary (Sonder) Winemiller, of Hopewell Town- ship, was born November 13, 1834. His grandfather, Jacob Winemiller, was the third son of one Wine- miller who it is supposed came from Switzerland and located in Hopewell Township, and who owned

about 1,200 acres of land. The father was engage in farming and milling in Hopewell Township and died in 1861, leaving five children, of whom William H. is the third. He was reared on the homestead, educated at the public schools and studied veterin- ary surgery. He practiced for six years at Shrews- bury Station, but in 1874 he returned to the home- stead, which he had inherited from his father, and commenced farming, which he has followed since in connection with veterinary surgery. In 1860 he was married to Rebecca Ziegler, daughter of Peter Ziegler, Hopewell Township, and has eight chil- dren: Edward P .. (a teacher in the public schools of Harford County, Md.), Mary A., Joseph G., Calvin D., Eva J., Oran F., Oscar M. and Raleigh W. Mr. Winemiller enlisted in the late war in the One Hundred and Forty-ninth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, in the fall of 1863, and was discharged in the spring of 1864. He and members of his wife's family belong to the Presbyterian Church at Stewartstown.

WILLIAM L. WINTER, son of John and Mary (Gibbs) Winter, of Stewartstown, Penn., was born January 1, 1848, and was reared in Stewartstown. At the age of fifteen years he enlisted in the Twenty-first Pennsylvania Cavalry, and was dis- charged at the close of the war at Lynchburg, Va. He was engaged in the battles of the Wilderness, Petersburg, Weldon Railroad, Five Forks and others. At the close of the war he returned to Stewartstown and began learning the trade of blacksmithing with Thomas Cole, at the carshops of Glen Rock. and in 1874 engaged in business for himself in coach-making and general blacksmithing. He held the office of assessor for two terms, and in the spring of 1884 was elected justice of the peace for Stewartstown. He is the only Republican ever elected in that town. In 1869 he was married to Lily Keesey, of Chanceford. daughter of Jacob Keesey, Esq. They have four children: Annetta B., Mary M., Minnie M. and Charles. Mr. Winter is a member of E. B. Morrison Post No. 387, G. A. R., of Stewartstown. Mrs. Winter is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Stewartstown.

LEVI ZELLERS, son of Bartholomew and Rose A. (Miller) Zellers, of Loganville, Penn., was born at Stewartstown, Hopewell Township, in 1817. He was reared and educated in the same township, where he has lived on the homestead, which he and his brother inherited at the death of his father, snhsequently buying his brother's interest in the farm (136 acres). In 1838 he was married to Lavina Edie. of Hopewell Township, who died in 1877, leaving six children: Lydia A., Andrew, William, Mary, Louisa and Samuel. Mr. Zellers is a member of the Stewartstown Presbyterian Church. He is now living with his son, William, who bought the farm from him in 1882. William Zellers was born in 1843, and in 1875 was married to Esther J. Anderson, of Hopewell Township, and has one son, James Lee Zellers.

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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 182

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