USA > Pennsylvania > Schuylkill County > Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania; genealogy-family history-biography; containing historical sketches of old families and of representative and prominent citizens, past and present, Volume II > Part 40
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"The following contains the family of Daniel Deibert, consisting of thir- teen children, and to whom they were married: Marcus to Elizabeth Allison ; Lucy to George Rischel; Christian to Elias Reed; Henry to Susan Hoffman ; Catharine to John Focht; Susannah to George Schafer; William to Rebecca Saylor ; Jeremiah to Angeline Huntzinger ; Daniel to Emma Reber. The fol- lowing are the names of the deceased children : Daniel died at the age of a year and a half ; Elizabeth died at the age of six years; Hannah died at the age of two weeks; John died at the age of eleven years; Jeremiah died at the age of twenty-three years. The above named children all died in their youth, except Jeremiah; he was married when he died. His wife and one son named Jere- miah live in Iowa at present.
"Eliza, my first wife, and the mother of the above named children, was born the 8th day of July, in the year 1803, and died February 25th, 1861, aged fifty-seven years, seven months and seventeen days. Her sickness was dropsy : her suffering was six months, but she bore it resignedly, and in hope of a blessed immortality. She looked into the future. Shortly before her death she said to me and the children, 'When I die don't mourn for we all must die ; but what I desire most of all is, that you may all be converted to God, then we shall meet again in heaven. Eleven years ago, when I was very sick and you were young yet, it seemed much harder to die and leave you; now, you are all grown up; be obedient to your father as long as he remains, he will surely not mislead you, but direct you in the right way.'
"Nearly the same time, or a few years earlier than my grandfather settled here in Schuylkill county, a German family by the name of Hartman came from Europe and settled at the place where Orwigsburg now stands. The fam- ily consisted of the parents and four children, two boys and two girls. They were a pious and God fearing family ; they went to work and prospered well. One day, in fall, in the year 1744, Hartman and his eldest son were to finish their sowing. Mrs. Hartman and the youngest son went to the mill to get some grist done, but little they thought that this should be the last time that they should see each other in this world. At noon when they were eating their dinner, a troop of Indians came, fifteen in number, and killed Hartman and his eldest son ; plundered the house, then set it on fire. The two girls they took along as victims. Towards evening when Mrs. Hartman came home, she found her buildings all in ashes. They burned. the bodies of Hartman and his son; even the dog, they threw him into the flames and burned him. The two girls, as above mentioned, aged ten and thirteen years, they took along, and another little girl only about three years old, that they took along as victim, from a family named Smith. They murdered the father of that family in the morning, the same day they came to Hartman's, the girls they took along barefoot, and soon their feet got sore that they could hardly walk any more; the oldest of the girls got sick and could go no farther ; then they killed her with the toma- hawk. The two other girls they wrapped their feet with old cloth and took them along in their camp. Mrs. Hartman was very much troubled about her husband and children : some hunters found the body of her eldest daughter and buried her. She could comfort herself better over them that were dead, than over the one she knew was among the Indians. She was a praying and God fearing woman and prayed to God that He should restore the child to her again ; but years passed on and sometimes she heard that children were taken from the Indians, then she went to see whether she could find her lost daughter. One time she went as far as Pittsburg, but all in vain. So nine long and weary
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years passed away, and she prayed to God for her lost daughter. One day a man brought her a message that a great many children were taken from the Indians and they were in care of Colonel Boquet at Carlisle. As soon as she heard it she expected to find her long lost daughter there, so she started for Carlisle; when she came there the children were all presented to her, but she could not recognize one that might be her daughter ; she spoke to some of them but got no answer, for they could only speak the Indian language. With a heavy heart she thought she had to go home again without her daughter. The Colonel asked her whether she could sing a German hymn they used to sing in their family at home. Then she commenced to sing the following hymn : 'Allein und doch nicht ganz allein bin ich,' meaning in English, 'Alone and yet not all alone am I.' Then a grown-up girl sprang to her, fell around her neck and kissed her, and recognized her as her dear mother. No pen can describe the joy when they recognized each other again. O! what a blessing it is when par- ents sing and pray in their families with their children. This hymn the mother sang was the means of finding her long lost daughter again.
"At Landingville, near George Adams' boatyard, stood a small log mill that the Indians burned down.
"Near Landingville, at the farm now owned by Daniel Heim, the Indians took a sister of Martin Werner along as a victim.
"In Schuylkill Haven, where the Reading shop now stands, the Indians murdered a family by the name of Fincher, and burned their house.
"One day a troop of Indians, eighteen in number, passed my father's house. They looked wild ; they had bows and arrows, and blankets around them. They laid in my father's woods at night ; in the morning they went to Orwigsburg and shot small pieces of money at a distance from posts.
"One day when I was young, father, I and a hired man were mowing clover in a field; two deers came to the cows in the adjoining field, and made company with the cows. Father went for the gun and shot one of them.
"In the year 1850 there was a very high flood. The Schuylkill river went over its banks and swept several houses away between Schuylkill Haven and Pottsville. Several houses and a barn were taken away by the flood. Bridges were swept away. Above Port Clinton a stone grist mill was taken away by the flood, and two families consisting of eleven persons were drowned. They found some of the drowned bodies below Hamburg.
"Children and whoever wants to read this, to tell you more of my life and experience, for what then? Because my parents and grandparents told their experiences in life, and I heard them with delight. I am old and weak now; cannot work any more.
"My grandfather said after the Indians went away, some of them came back again to rob them of their planting fruits. My grandfather and his brother Michael had to flee over the Blue mountain to their father's home. They buried their implements on the other side of the Schuylkill river, in the woods, that the Indians could not get them; but when they came back they didn't find them any more. And they didn't find them till the Schuylkill canal was made, then they dug them out again.
"And now something about myself. Once I was in danger on the Schuylkill river. At Landingville I used to run a ferry boat for taking passengers to and fro over the Schuylkill. The water was very high ; I had ten passengers to take over. We came safe over, but landed far down on the other side. Once I got very sick, but it was my own fault. After a thunder shower I
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waded into the Schuylkill to get out a fish net. I was tending the guard lock and boats were coming, and had no time to put dry clothes on, and that gave me my sickness. When I was sick in bed two neighbors visited me, named Gross and Poh; they were both lock tenders and they had a dispute about religious matters. Gross didn't believe in the New Testament. He believed where it is said, 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.' Poh said he believed in the New Testament, and said if he should be struck on the right cheek, that he would offer the left, also, rather than strike back. Gross then gave him a hard blow on the right cheek, that he nearly fell from his chair ; but he offered his left clieek, also. Then Gross went off, as it seemed Gross lived in this con- dition, and was fighting afterwards with two men and got hurt and died from the effects thereof. It was said that he wished to kill those men before he died.
"Some natural wonders: The first appeared when I was young. It was a dark spot on the sun, through the whole summer. The summer was very cool. It had frost every month. Through haymaking and harvest, men had to keep their coats on. It gave very little good grain. The next was in the year 1833, November 12th, from midnight till morning, fiery flakes fell from heaven, the same as large snowflakes. It make a red shining. The farmers' teams which went out to cross the Broad mountain had trouble with their horses, they were afraid. In South Carolina it was more severe. A slaveholder, who had a number of slaves, was awakened up by them; they thought the world was on fire. This miracle we can also read in a book bearing the title 'The Coming Wonders.' The next miracle a red ball passed through the air, just before sunset, in harvest time, just a little before the slave war broke out. This ball shone like the full moon; it moved from west to east. It was a remarkable affair.
"Dear friends, and whoever reads this, that ye may know that where our forefathers had come from, and been born and buried, and that they had a hard and troublesome life.
"I, your father, Daniel Deibert, am one of the oldest of the third generation of the Deibert family. I had nearly the same hardships to go through as my forefathers, but I will not lament over it, the Lord has helped hitherto."
WARREN G. BROWN, who has been proprietor of the "Keystone Hotel" at Schuylkill Haven for several years past, has been a lifelong resident of that borough. He was born there Nov. 24, 1877, son of Col. Charles E. Brown and grandson of John Brown.
The family is of Irish origin. John Brown was born in Ireland, came to America when eighteen years old, and settled at Moyers Mills, between Schuylkill' Haven and Orwigsburg, Schuylkill Co., Pa. By trade he was a miller. Shortly after his marriage he removed to the Catawissa valley, where he engaged in the contracting business, building railroad bridges. Besides he followed his trade, owning two gristmills and two sawmills, and was a well known man of his day in the Catawissa valley. He died there at the age of sixty years. By his marriage to Sarah Moyer he had children as follows: Joseph, Benjamin, John, Charles E., Mary. A., Martha and Margaret.
Col. Charles E. Brown, father of Warren G. Brown, was born in the Cata- wissa valley Dec. 11, 1841, and when a boy was employed upon the canal, continuing that work until he enlisted, Aug. 8, 1861, in Company C, 50th Pennsylvania Veteran Volunteers. He served until Aug. 8, 1865, having won- derful experiences as a soldier. Beginning as a private, he was promoted to
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corporal and served one year in that rank, until advanced to lieutenant. Dur- ing the thirty days he held that position he was presented a medal of honor by Congress for bravery, and was then promoted to captain of his company. His period of service covered four years to the day, and he took part in all the principal battles that were fought. After his discharge he returned to Schuylkill Haven and again was employed on the canal, in different positions, at boating and at the Landing. He was also an officer during the time the Molly Maguires were active in this section, and made many arrests; he knew the notorious Pat Hester, one of their leaders. Going to New Pork City, Mr. Brown ran a barge for some time, and on his return to Schuylkill Haven had a team and traveled through the country, selling goods. He then went back to New York City for two years, was subsequently located in Philadel- phia for five years, and returned once more to Schuylkill Haven, where he was watchman at the First National Bank during the construction of its present building, and also for the Schuylkill Haven Trust Company. In 191I he was appointed gatekeeper at the county almshouse, and still holds that posi- tion. Colonel Brown is a charter member of Jere Helms Post, No. 36, G. A. R., and a past officer of that organization. He has been connected with sev- eral other orders, all of which are now out of existence. Colonel Brown is a stanch Republican, and for six years was a member of the school board of Schuylkill Haven. He resides on St. John street, Schuylkill Haven, where he is a very well known and much respected citizen.
Colonel Brown married Frances Mellon, of the State of Delaware, and they have had children as follows: Ella married Ambrose Freeman, and died leaving two daughters, Ada and Mabel, who reside in Philadelphia, Pa .; Martha, Harry and Robert all died young; Warren G. and Arthur complete the family.
Warren G. Brown was educated in the local schools. His first work was for Dr. Koxe, at Schuylkill Haven, in the laboratory, with whom he remained for two years and six months, after which he became a clerk for D. D. Yoder, at the "Washington House," at Schuylkill Haven, where he continued for two years. His next employment was with the Gerber Shoe Company, at Schuyl- kill Haven, and he continued with that concern for a period of nine years. following which for a short time he was employed at Orwigsburg. For the four years succeeding he was employed by the Eastern Street Railroad Com- pany, and for a similar period was engaged in the green grocery business at Schuylkill Haven, on Nov. 11, 1907, entering his present business. The "Key- stone Hotel" is located at Dock and Willow streets, Schuylkill Haven, and Mr. Brown has made a success of the hotel, which has been well patronized throughout the period of his ownership. His personal popularity and reputa- tion for solid business qualities, gained in the efficient discharge of various public responsibilities, have no doubt attracted customers, and the comforts and conveniences afforded by the house have held old and new trade both.
Mr. Brown was formerly a member of Company F. 4th Regiment, National Guard, at Pottsville, and during the Spanish-American war he enlisted in Company F, 4th Regiment, which was attached to the 3d Brigade. He went to Porto Rico with his regiment, serving as corporal and also acting quarter- master for some time. Politically he is a Republican. He has served as ward constable three times, as election inspector, and as a member of the borough council. He was honored with the presidency of that body, and it was during his term that the street paving was done in the borough. For the last twenty-
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two years Mr. Brown has been a member of the Patriotic Order Sons of America, and he also holds membership in the Improved Order of Red Men. Mr. Brown married Annie E. Deibert, daughter of William and Rebecca (Saylor) Deibert, and they have one son, James Lawton, who is at school. The family are members of Trinity Evangelical Church.
JOHN H. LYNCH, a well known citizen and storekeeper of Gordon, Schuylkill Co., Pa., was born in Wales in 1847, and is the son of John and Emma (Evans) Lynch. He came to America in 1852 with two of his brothers and settled in Pottsville. His grandfather, William Lynch, was a native of Wales and a hatter by trade.
John Lynch, father of John H. Lynch, was a native of Wales, and a machinist by trade. He married in Wales Emma Evans, daughter of William Evans, who was a native of England, and served as a soldier under Welling- ton at the battle of Waterloo; his daughter Emma was born in a British army barracks in England. Her father died in England, and she died in 1880 in Cressona, Schuylkill Co., Pa. To Mr. and Mrs. Lynch were born five children: William, a veteran of the Civil war, enlisted in the army from Schuylkill county, and who also served in the United States navy, died in California, and is buried in the national cemetery in Napa county, that State; Walter died at Cressona; Frank died in 1904; Emma is also deceased; John H. completes the family. John Lynch died in Cressona, March 10, 1903, and is buried in the cemetery there.
John H. Lynch was educated in the schools of Pottsville and Cressona, and learned the trade of machinist, which he followed in Cressona until 1868. Then he went to Sunbury for one year, and returning to this county went to work in the shops of the Reading Railway Company at Gordon. He remained in the machine shops here for seventeen years and then embarked in the general store business at Gordon, which he has continued to conduct since with success.
In 1867 Mr. Lynch was married to Rebecca, daughter of Henry and Cathe- rine Wildermuth, natives of Schuylkill county. Henry Wildermuth died in 1853 at Cressona and his wife died in 1874 at the home of her daughter Rebecca. To Mr. and Mrs. Lynch have been born nine children, of whom five survive: Carrie, deceased, was the wife of H. Grant Uhler, of Gordon ; Harry is residing at Gordon; Emma is at home; Ella is the wife of T. W. Hammonds, of Bryn Mawr, near Philadelphia; George resides at Essington, Pa., as does his brother Arthur. Mr. and Mrs. Lynch are members of the Methodist Church, he being a member of the board of trustees and treasurer of the board of stewards. He has also been a member of Ashland Lodge, No. 294, F. & A. M., since 1873, has passed all the chairs, and has been a past master for thirty-four years. He is a member of the Citizens' Water Company of Gordon, has been a member of the Gordon school board for eighteen years, and is now treasurer of that body.
REV. WILLIAM GANGLOFF, of McKeansburg, Schuylkill county, has been officiating as pastor of the Church of God at Steigerwalt since he entered the ministry, preaching regularly in the local circuit, which also comprises the Auburn and West Penn churches. Sincerity of purpose and high Chris- tian principles have guided him in all his relations with his fellowmen, among whom he is justly esteemed, both for nobility of character and practical
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service. As proprietor of a general store at McKeansburg for several years, in business he has sustained the high reputation gained in his efforts to min- ister to the spiritual needs of the community.
The family has been in this section of Schuylkill county since the day of Mr. Gangloff's grandfather, George Gangloff, who came from Germany and settled in West Brunswick township, Schuylkill Co., Pa. He was a farm laborer, and acquired the ownership of a tract of fifteen acres. He had the following children: George, deceased, married Hannah Paul, who resides at Orwigsburg; Henry is mentioned below; Dorothy married Christian Koch, and both are deceased; John married a Miss Schoffstall, who is deceased, and he lives near Tower City; Jacob married Maria Shoener, and they live at Orwigsburg; Kate married Wesley Knittle. The father lived to be eighty- one years old, and is buried at the Steigerwalt church. He belonged to the Church of God there, and was a Democrat in politics.
Henry Gangloff, father of Rev. William Gangloff, was born in West Bruns- wick township April 14, 1834, was educated in the schools of that township, and in early life began to work as farm laborer on the neighboring farms. Later he bought a farm of 100 acres, seventy-five acres of which were cleared ground, in East Brunswick township, where he carried on general farming for the rest of his days. His death occurred March 28, 1904, and he is buried with his second wife in the Kimmel cemetery. Mr. Gangloff first married Polly Gehret, a daughter of George Gehret, and they had these children: Mary is the widow of William Knittle, and resides in West Brunswick town- ship; Sarah married Samuel McKinny, and they reside at Camden, N. J. The mother died and Mr. Gangloff married Sallie Gehret (a sister of his first wife), who was born April 18, 1829, near Fleetwood, Berks Co., Pa. Children as follows were born to this marriage: Mary is the widow of William McKinny, and lives at Auburn, Pa .; Caroline is the widow of David Smith, and lives at Orwigsburg; George, deceased, married Mary Herman, and she lives at Orwigsburg; Joanna, deceased, was the wife of William Heine, who lives at South Bethlehem, Pa .; Henry, deceased, married Ellen Fisher, now a resident of Auburn, Pa .; William is mentioned below : Alice married Robert Heckert, of Lehigh county, Pa .; Fred died unmarried. Mr. Gangloff was a zealous member of the Church of God, uniting with the Kimmel's Church near Orwigsburg, and was one of the active officials of the congregation. He also did his duty in town affairs, serving ably as school director and super- visor, and supported the Democratic party in political matters.
William Gangloff was born in West Brunswick township May 16, 1864, and received his education in the schools of West Brunswick and East Bruns- wick townships. He began. life as a farmer, working on his father's farm until he was twenty-one years of age, after which he worked for other farmers until his marriage. Then he entered the employ of the Lehigh Valley Rail- road Company as a repairman, being so employed for three years, when he resumed farm work, at which he continued for ten years more. By that time he had finished his preparation and entered the ministry of the Church of God, preaching in the circuit comprising the churches of Frackville, Debinders, Auburn, Steigerwalts and West Penn. He was in this circuit for four years, when it was reduced to the churches of Steigerwalts, Auburn and West Penn, as at present, and he has since served that circuit. In April, 1913, Mr. Gang- loff went into the general store business at McKeansburg; he raises a con- siderable quantity of vegetables in the lots he owns at McKeansburg.
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Mr. Gangloff married Elmira Priscilla Stamm, a native of East Brunswick township, born in January, 1869, a daughter of Severinus and Elizabeth (Frantz) Stamm. She was educated in East Brunswick township and at McKeansburg, attending public school. Six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Gangloff: (1) Kate Rachel, born Feb. 2, 1888, married Robert Mengel, a son of Francis Mengel, of Frackville. They have the following children: Wilbert G., born June 12, 1909; Ruth Catherine, Sept. 17, 1910; Ethel May, Jan. 6, 1912 ; Leah Elizabeth, Nov. 23, 1914. (2) Sarah Elizabeth was born Sept. 17, 1889. (3) Alice Elmira, born March 29, 1894, married Clayton Bolich, and has one child, Mildred Elmira. (4) William H. S. was born Sept. 7, 1897; (5) Mamie Priscilla, May 4, 1899; (6) Daniel, Aug. 2, 1904.
The Stamm family, to which Mrs. Gangloff belongs, has long been well and favorably known in Berks county. The name Stamm or Stam is found frequently in the lists of emigrants to America. On the passenger list of the "Hope," Daniel Reed, master, from Rotterdam, qualified Sept. 23, 1734, is the name of Peter Stam, aged twenty; on the "Samuel," Hugh Percy, captain, from Rotterdam, qualified Dec. 3, 1740, that of Adam Stam, aged twenty- five; on the "Francis and Elizabeth," George North, master, from Rotterdam, qualified Sept. 21, 1742, those of Johann Adam Stam and Werner Stam; on the snow "Charlotte," John Mason, master, from Rotterdam, Sept. 5, 1743, Johann Jacob Stam; on the "Phoenix," William Wilson, commander, from Rotterdam, Sept. 30, 1743, Johannes Stamm; and on the "Union," Andrew Bryson, captain, from Rotterdam, Sept. 30, 1774, Adam Stam.
The Stamm family is one of the oldest in Berks county. Werner (or Peter ) and Johann Adam Stam (or Stamm), brothers, were natives of Switzerland, and emigrated to the New World on the ship "Francis and Elizabeth," George North, commander, from Rotterdam. It qualified at Philadelphia Sept. 21, 1742, and of the 141 male emigrants who had taken passage many settled in Berks county, their descendants being still found in good numbers in the districts where they located. Where Johann Adam Stam settled, or what became of him, we do not know. The other brother, Werner, was the ancestor of the Stamms of Berks county. He was born Nov. 13, 1726, in Bern, Switzerland, and died May 16, 1795. He settled in what is now Bern township, in 1763, obtaining a large tract of land in the vicinity of Mount Pleasant, in Berks county, where he lived and died. He and his wife are buried in the old Bern Church. He married May 26, 1748, Catharine, born in 1728, died Nov. 4, 1812. Among his children were two sons named Nicholas and Frederick.
The name Peter is said to have been Werner Stam. There is a Werner Stam buried at the Bern Church. The Pennsylvania Archives record the name as Peter, but this is reputed to be an error, the tax lists, church records, etc., all bearing evidence to the contrary. However, it is reasonable to suppose that Werner Stamm was under age when the two mentioned in the Archives arrived, and for that reason his name does not appear. The date of their land- ing agrees with the tradition that old members of the family have of Werner's coming to America.
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