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HEMLOCK TOWNSHIP
HENRY DEIGHMILLER, farmer, P. O. Buckhorn; a son of Henry DEIGHMILLER, Sr., who came from Germany and settled in Bucks County, where he owned a farm, on which our subject was born. In 1848 he sold the farm there and removed to this county where he bought the farm on which his son now resides, and died in 1861. His widow, Anna Barbara, died in 1883. They had seven children, four of whom died young. Two daughters died after being married; Anna was the wife of Christopher KUSTER, and Eliza was the wife of Augustus RABB. Henry is the only survivor, was born August 10, 1843, in Bucks County, and was six years old when his parents came to this county. In 1865 he left home and worked on farms in this township for the following eight years, when he teamed and threshed for two years, and kept hotel at Light Street for one year. He then returned to Hemlock and remained a year, after which he farmed in Carbon County for two years; he then returned to the old homestead, on which he has since resided, farming it and threshing in fall and winters. May 5, 1864, he married Miss Margaret CARROL, daughter of Charles CARROL. she was born in this township, but lived until grown with her parents in Carbon County. Mr. and Mrs. DEIGHMILLER have eleven children, all of whom are now living: Hannah, William, Ada, Charles, Minnie, Bertha, John Salley, Maggie, and Ellie and Nellie (twins). They are all living with their parents.(History of Columbia and Montour Counties Pennsylvania, Battle, 1887, pg. 484)
THEODORE DENT, farmer, P. O. Buckhorn, was born in Pine Grove, Schuylkill County, Penn., July 13, 1845. His father, William, was a native of England and owned a farm in Montour County, but spent most of his life in the ore mines. His wife was Susan WELDIE, of New Jersey. He died in 1865, but his widow is still living, aged seventy-one years, and makes her home chiefly with her son, Theodore. They had twelve children, three of whom died young; one, Albert, was killed by an explosion in the ore mine where he was working, at White Oak Hollow, this township. The living are William, who is superintendent of the mines at Milnes, Page Co., Va.; Charles, who resides in Chulasky, Montour County, and is boss of the ore mines at that place; Weldie, who is a miner in this township; George Henry, a farmer in Hemlock Township; Franklin P., who resides in Buckhorn; Elizabeth, is wife of Job COSLETT and resides in Kingston, Penn., and Jane, wife of Franklin P. BAUM, who resides in Bloomsburg. Theodore is the third son, and remained at home until he was twenty-four years old. He married, November 28, 1868, Miss Cornelia, daughter of William CLINTON, who was formerly a resident of Michigan, and is now living with Mr. DENT, and is eighty-eight years old. Mrs. DENT is thirty-five years of age and the mother of the following named children: Charles Albert, Robert Russell, Jennie, May, Bella and Mary, all living with their parents. Mr. and Mrs. DENT are members of the Lutheran Church at Buckhorn, and he has been for three years superintendent of the Sunday-school connected with the church.(History of Columbia and Montour Counties Pennsylvania, Battle, 1887, pg. 484)
EDWIN JONES, farmer, P. O. Buckhorn, is a native of the city of Bristol, England, and his recollections extend back to what is considered by Americans quite ancient history. He remembers the death of King George III, the accession and reign of George IV and William IV, and the coronation of Queen Victoria. In 1851 he left England with his family, landing in the city of New York in September of that year. While in England he followed the occupation of a miner, chiefly of iron ore, and also followed the same here until four years ago, when he abandoned it. The first place he worked in this country was in Danville, Montour County, where he was in the employ of the Montour Iron Company until 1859, when he removed to the farm where he now resides. This property he had purchased in December, 1857, and is a portion of the so-called "Old Judge Montgomery Tract," on which he subsequently erected a dwelling and suitable outbuildings. Shortly after coming to this county he began cleaning up his land, and two or three years later cultivating it. He built a house in 1859, for which, in 1875, he substituted his present dwelling. June 3, 1838, he married, in South Wales, Miss Martha DAVIS, who was born in Wales of English descent, and died May 24, 1883, aged sixty-seven years. They had four children born in Wales, three of whom are yet living; one died in Wales; another was born in this country but is also deceased. The living are Dorcas, wife of James GULLIVER, a farmer of this township; Delilah, wife of William SOMERS, lives with her father, and Edwin, married to Martha EVERETT, and lives in Valley Township, Montour County, engaged in mining. Mr. JONES is a member of Frosty Valley Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he has been trustee and steward and for some years a class leader. He has brought up his children to follow in his footsteps, and now, in the evening of his life, is awaiting, with the tranquillity of a true Christian, his translation to a higher and better life.(History of Columbia and Montour Counties Pennsylvania, Battle, 1887, pg. 485)
N. PATTERSON MOORE, wagon-maker and justice of the peace, Buckhorn, is descended from an Englishman, who came to this country long before the Revolution, and settled in New Jersey near the Delaware River. On the outbreak of the Revolution he cast his lot with his adopted country, as did also his son, Samuel, the grandfather of our subject. Samuel was born in New Jersey in 1752; entered the army and served under Washington, with whom he wintered at Valley Forge and crossed the Delaware. After the war he moved to Northumberland County, where he remained until 1813, when he came to Madison township, Columbia County, and lived until his death in 1840. He was a successful farmer, a man of fine business abilities and an elder in the Presbyterian Church at New Columbia. His wife was Sarah FARLEY, also a native of New Jersey, and they had a family of nine children: Abraham F., Caleb, George, John, Catherine, Nancy, Ellen, Phebe and Hester. John, the father of our subject, was born in Northumberland County in 1797, and died in West Hemlock Township, Montour County, in 1868, aged seventy years. When he was sixteen years of age his parents moved to Madison Township, this county, where he remained until he was twenty-six years old. He then moved to a farm in West Hemlock Township, Montour County, where he died. He was a farmer all his life and for about fourteen years conducted a distillery, also raised and dealt in fine horses. A few years before his death he was elected a commissioner of Montour County, but resigned on account of ill health. He married in 1821, Joanna, daughter of Matthias APPLEMAN, then living in Montour County. She was born in November, 1803, on the farm, where she died in 1878, aged seventy-five years. Their children are N. P. (subject), Matthias A., Samuel C. L, Abraham Grier, William Boyd, John M., Sarah, Mary Ellen and Margaret, who died in infancy. Our subject was born on the farm in Madison Township, March 17, 1824, and was reared on the farm in West Hemlock Township until eighteen years of age. He then began to learn the wagon-maker's trade, which he has followed almost ever since. He established his shop in Benton in 1848 and there resided fourteen years; in 1862 removed to Buckhorn where he has since remained. In 1869 he was elected a justice of the peace, and is now serving his fourth consecutive term, and has also been mercantile appraiser for this county. June 6, 1848, he married Miss Araminta, daughter of Isaac KLINE of Orange Township, who was born November 25, 1825, and six children have been born to their union: Mary Joanna, a teacher, residing with her parents; Elmira Ellen, died in infancy: John Willit, married to Miss Mary PENMAN, of Bloomsburg, and now lives in Topeka, Kas.; Isora Lavina, taught school three years and lives with her parents; Charles Herbert, who is now in a store in Fishingcreek Township, and Lizzie, who is teaching school in Buckhorn. As indicated by his repeated reelections, Mr. MOORE is held in considerable repute by his neighbors.(History of Columbia and Montour Counties Pennsylvania, Battle, 1887, pg. 485)
SAMUEL OHL, farmer, P. O. Buckhorn, is a grandson of Henry OHL, who came to this country from Germany many years ago and settled in Berks County, where his son, also named Henry, the father of Samuel, was born. Henry, with his brother, John, bought a tract of 300 acres, a part of which is the farm now occupied by our subject. This land was then mostly in timber but he cleared the greater part of it, and it is now a fine farm. Henry married Catherine, daughter of Daniel MERICLE of Madison Township, and eleven children were born to them, viz.: Elizabeth, widow of George SMITH, now living in Bloomsburg with her son; Eli, married to Joanna STOUFFER, and living on a part of the homestead; Henry, living in Michigan; Catherine, widow of Daniel SMITH, living near Buckhorn; Mary, wife of Seth SHOEMAKER, living in Buckhorn; Sallie Ann, who was married to Esau SHOEMAKER of Buckhorn and died leaving two children: Jesse, who had resided in the West, came home on a visit and died at his brother's house; Rebecca, who was married to Geo. HITTLE, and died near Buckhorn, leaving one child; an unnamed infant, and a son who died when a child. Samuel is the second child and was born January 29, 1820, in a house which stood near the site of his present residence. He has never lived off the farm on which he was born. He married, December 25, 1845, Marie B. STRAUB, daughter of Adam STRAUB of this township, who was born December 30, 1826. To this union eleven children have been born, three of whom died in infancy and Harriet L. when fourteen years old. The living are: Thomas J., who married Sarah, daughter of John BETZ, of this township, and now residing in Pittsburgh; Eli J., who is married to Amanda MUSGRAVE, of Greenwood Township, resides in this township; Margaret, wife of Hugh APPLEMAN, living in Hemlock Township; Amos, single and living in Pittsburgh; Sarah S., single and living with her parents; Anna E., also living at home, and S. Howard, who is married to Miss Mary YOCUM of this township, and works for his father. Mr. OHL has applied himself closely too his farming pursuits, refusing to accept any office. He and family are members of the Grange; he is a member of Van Camp Lodge, No. 140 of Bloomsburg, and, with his wife and family, a member of the Lutheran Church, in which he has been an elder for several year.(History of Columbia and Montour Counties Pennsylvania, Battle, 1887, pg. 485)
ELI OHL, farmer, P. O. Buckhorn, a brother of Samuel OHL, whose sketch appears above, was born April 15, 1826, on the home farm. In his youth he worked at home until the age of twenty-one, when he began working on his own account, partly at home and for five years for Adam STRAUB, in this township. In 1856 he went with Mr. STRAUB to Michigan, where he remained until the fall of 1857 engaged in farming. Returning to this township he resumed work in this neighborhood, and bought a piece of land which belonged to his father's estate. On this he subsequently built the house in which he now lives, and which has since been his home. March 25, 1858, he married Miss Joanna, daughter of Samuel STAUFFER, then of Madison Township. Mrs. OHL's father died several years ago, but her mother is still living in that township, aged seventy-seven. Mr. and Mrs. OHL have five children: Austin S., unmarried and a farmer in Michigan; William Clark, who makes his home with his parents and works at farming in this township; Franklin Leroy, also at home; Mary Emma, wife of Hiram BOGARD, in Mount Pleasant Township, and Ada Lenora, who is living at home. Mr. OHL is not an ardent politician, but votes with the Democratic party. He and his wife and some of his children are members of the Lutheran Church at Buckhorn.(History of Columbia and Montour Counties Pennsylvania, Battle, 1887, pg. 486)
SYLVESTER PURSEL, farmer, P. O. Bloomsburg, is a grandson of Jonathan PURSEL, who emigrated from New Jersey in the latter part of the last century. He first located on the farm now owned by his grandson, James Depew PURSEL. The farm on which Sylvester lives was owned by his maternal ancestor, whose name was GREEN, and who later sold it to his son-in-law, Daniel PURSEL. Shortly after this he died, and the wife of Jonathan PURSEL dying about this time also, the two old people married, and lived on the Depew PURSEL farm. Jonathan's children were all by his first wife, Nancy, and none are now living. Daniel bought the place where Sylvester now lives, from his father, and in 1816 built the stone house in which he now resides. Sylvester was born in this house and has never had any other home. Daniel was a blacksmith by trade and also farmed. He started poor, but by industry and hard work, helped by an equally careful and industrious wife, amassed a competence, owning this farm and the one owned by Isaac g. PURSEL, now living at Buckhorn. He was a strong man in many resepects; a consistent member of and attendant at the Episcopal Church in Bloomsburg. He died about 1852, aged eighty-three years. His wife was Mary GREEN, who was also from New Jersey. She died during the civil war, aged ninety-one years and one month. (A year before, when ninety years of age, she knitted a large number of stockings and mittens for the soldiers.) They had twelve children, one dying in infancy. The others were John, who died at his son's, in Montour County, aged ninety-three years; Dennis, died three or four years ago, aged ninety-one years; Hester died in Lycoming County; Jonathan died in Canada; Robert lives in Michigan, aged eighty-eight; Daniel died several years ago; Annie lives in Ohio; William resides in Montour County; Abigail Maria died in Bloomsburg; Isaac G. resides in Buckhorn, and Sylvester. Our subject, who is the youngest of the family, was born October 11, 1818, and has always been a farmer, working on the home farm until his father's death, when he inherited it. Since then he has stuck closely to it until about five years ago, when he gave up the active work on it to his son, D. C. PURCEL. June 4, 1840, he married Miss Mary Jane, daughter of Alexander EMMITT of this township, who was born May 11, 1820. They had seven children, four of whom died in infancy; the others are Mary, born December 27, 1851, and is wife of Franklin D. DENTTER, a shoe merchant, of Bloomsburg; Emily, the second daughter, was born April 27, 1854, and died August 6, 1856; the only surviving son is Daniel Clark PURSEL, who was born June 19, 1857. He is married to Miss Mary Alice, daughter of Charles DIETRICK, of Buckhorn. He now works his father's farm. Mr. and Mrs. PURCEL are Episcopalians. He was for many years a member of the Odd Fellows fraternity, and has the record of an honest man and upright citizen.(History of Columbia and Montour Counties Pennsylvania, Battle, 1887, pg. 486)
GEORGE RUSSEL, farmer, P. O. Buckhorn, was born December 1, 1817, in Northampton County, Penn. His father, Robert RUSSEL, was formerly a resident of Northampton County, but moved to this county, locating first in Bloomsburg; later at the forks, and subsequently bought the place now owned by Reuben GUILD, which he afterward sold to the Iron Company. He then bought the farm now occupied by his son George, in Hemlock Township, near Buckhorn. He died in February, 1882, aged eighty-eight years and nine months. His wife, Sarah MILLER, died many years prior. He was a carpenter by trade, but after coming to this county gave most of his attention to farming. He was an active, upright man, a strict member of the Episcopal Church in Bloomsburg, and universally respected. He was the father of seven children, of whom two are now living. The deceased were named as follows: Sarah and Caroline, who both died in early life; Harriet was the wife of William GILLESPIE of this township, who is also deceased; Mary was the wife of William CLINTON, who is living with his son-in-law, Theodore DENT; and Aaron, who died unmarried. The surviving are Elizabeth, wife of Reuben FOULK of Northumberland County, and George, the subject of this sketch. The latter was an infant when his parents came to this county, and he has all his life been a farmer. He worked for his father until he was forty years old, when he rented his farm and worked it until his father's death. He then inherited the new brick house which his father had built, and fifty acres of land, which, with fifty acres he had bought adjoining, gives him a fine farm. In October, 1878, he married Miss Mary, daughter of John NEIHART of this township. They have no children. Mr. RUSSEL is a member of the Grange, and he and Mrs. RUSSEL are members of the Lutheran Church in Buckhorn. He takes but little part in politics and would not hold any office, preferring to give his time and attention to his farm.(History of Columbia and Montour Counties Pennsylvania, Battle, 1887, pg. 487)
AARON SMITH, farmer, P. O. Buckhorn, was born in Frosty Valley, August 7, 1821, a son of David and Catherine (HEINER) SMITH, who came to this county from New Jersey, and were among the earliest settlers of this part of the county. After living her awhile David SMITH, who was born March 31, 1781, bought a farm near where his son now resides, and which is owned by Peter WERKHEISER, the country at that time being a wilderness. After living o the place for some time he rented a farm in Frosty Valley, where he lived until 1840, when he moved to Briarcreek and resided two years; then moved to the farm where his son Aaron now lives, which he bought some years before, on which there had been a house. Here he resided the remainder of his life, dying October 23, 1856. His wife died about 1832, and later he married Annie LIEDY, of this township, whose family were old settlers in this part of the county, but have now all emigrated west. By his first wife Mr. SMITH had a large family, of whom the following are living: John, in Illinois; Samuel, in Michigan; Isabella, wife of Samuel HOLDER, resides in Milton, Northumberland County, and Aaron. Our subject worked on the farm until he was eighteen years old, when he learned the milling trade, which he followed eight years. He then resumed farming, which he has since followed. In the fall of 1858 he bought the home farm from the estate, and has since resided there. January 1, 1843, he married Rachel FOWLER, daughter of William FOWLER, of Nescopeck, Luzerne County, and the following named children were born to their union: Boann, born January 3, 1844; Sarah Alice, born April 26, 1845, wife of Charles TITTLE, of Bloomsburg; Fanny Dianathy, born May 5, 1846, died September 14, 1857; Ella Udora, born September 26, 1854, wife of George ERWIN, and resides in West Hemlock Township, Montour County; Emma Jane, born April 26, 1850, married William GULLIVER, and died April 11, 1872, leaving one child; Hugh W., born February 9, 1857, married Mary GILLASPY, and died October 11, 1885, leaving one child; Clara Bell, born September 15, 1862, died March 23, 1863, and Norman Ellis, who was born June 11, 1847, and worked for his father until he was of age. March 3, 1870, he married Miss Mary, daughter of Levi COX, of Bloomsburg, and who was born March 20, 1851. They have had five children: Lucius C., born May 14, died August 14, 1871; Edith Lavina, born August 15, 1872; Nellie Irene, born May 15, 1874; Hugh Otis, born August 19, 1877, and Lizzie Ira, born April 21, 1882. Mr. SMITH has held several township offices, and was sheriff of the county one term. He is now warmly interested in the prohibition cause, and was a delegate to the State convention of the Prohibition party which was held at Harrisburg in August, 1886. He and Mrs. SMITH are members of the Baptist Church in Madison Township, and he is spoken of by his neighbors as a straightforward, plain-spoken man, and one whose word can be relied upon. He has been superintendent of the Union Sunday-school at New Columbia for twenty years past. When David SMITH first came here there was but one log cabin where Berwick now stands, and he often used to tell of the difficulties and hardships he encountered in making a home, having no one to assist him.(History of Columbia and Montour Counties Pennsylvania, Battle, 1887, pg. 487)
EVAN THOMAS, farmer, P. O. Buckhorn, was born in Mount Pleasant Township, this county, where his father and grandfather both resided. The latter, Thomas THOMAS, a Revolutionary soldier, was crippled by having his fingers shot off in a fight with the English and Indians. He died about twenty years ago in his one-hundredth year, and his descendants yet repeat the stories he told them of the hardships he endured while fighting for freedom. His son, John C., the father of Evan, was born in the State of New York, and came to this county, settling in Mount Pleasant Township, where he was married, and where his children were born. He died four years ago, aged seventy-three years. His wife was Miss Eliza, daughter of Frederick MILLER, of Mount Pleasant Township, and died in 1860, aged seventy-four years. Their children are Hiram, who resides in Mount Pleasant Township; Elizabeth, wife of George KELLER, of Millersburg, Juniata County; Susanna, wife of William BEERS, of Bloom Township; Catherine, married to Lawrence HARTMAN, of this township; Hester, wife of Lewis GIRTON, also of Hemlock; Sarah Margaret, who was the wife of Emanuel WOOD (the latter was accidentally killed in a mine, and she is now married to William WEBER, of Juniata County); William, who is unmarried, resides in Mount Pleasant Township; Frederick, who died young, and Evan (subject) who was born May 16, 1835. In early life our subject worked on a farm and also in the ore mines until 1870, when he rented a farm and cultivated it until 1880, when he bought the place on which he now resides. In 1860 he married Miss Mary, daughter of David B. WAGNER, of this township. Eleven children were born to their union, one of whom died young. The living are John, William, Jacob, Lewis, Hiram Lester, Edward, Charles, Sarah, Hannah and Rosanna. Mr. Thomas is not a politician; has never held office, but has attended strictly to his own business, and votes the Democratic ticket regularly.(History of Columbia and Montour Counties Pennsylvania, Battle, 1887, pg. 488)
DAVID B. WAGNER, farmer, P. O. Buckhorn, was born on the farm where he now resides, October 22, 1814. His grandfather came from Germany over a hundred years ago, and was one of the first settlers of Columbia County, taking up a tract of over 600 acres adjoining the present farm of David. This tract is now divided into nine farms. His son, Isaac, was the father of our subject, and was twenty-seven years old when his parents came to this county, and shortly after, in 1801, he married Elizabeth BETZ, of Madison Township. He then bought 100 acres of land adjoining his father's, on which he resided until his death, in 1861, at the age of eighty-eight years. His wife died when her youngest child was ten years old, and Isaac then married Mrs. Sarah LEIDY, who survived him three years. Mrs. Elizabeth WAGNER had nine children who arrived at years of maturity, and several who died in infancy. The former were Abraham, now deceased; Isaac, a resident of Madison Township; Dinah Ann, deceased; Labright, also deceased; Margaret, residing in Indiana; Elias, deceased; Sallie Ann, widow of Benjamin BOMBOY, and resides in Bloomsburg; Mary Elizabeth, widow of Jacob LATCHAW, who was killed while in the Union Army, and David B. Our subject has been a farmer all his life, but the last year has retired, his son-in-law, Evan THOMAS, carrying on the farm for him. In April, 1835, he married Mary, daughter of Michael STECKER, of this township. Four and a half years later she died, leaving one child, Henry William, now living in Schuylkill County, Penn. In 1840 Mr. WAGNER married Sarah Ann, daughter of Jacob GIRTON, of Madison Township, and the following children were born to their union: Mary Elizabeth, wife of Evan Thomas; Catherine Matilda, wife of William MERICLE, of Madison Township; Jacob L., married to Lucy, daughter of John WELSH, and resides in Northumberland County; Isaac, who died when eight years old, and Hannah, the youngest child, who lives with her father. Mr. WAGNER has been supervisor of his township for six years, also school director; is a member of the Presbyterian Church at New Columbia, in which he has been elder thirty years.(History of Columbia and Montour Counties Pennsylvania, Battle, 1887, pg. 488)
STINSON L. BROBST, farmer, P. O. Buckhorn, is a grandson of Jacob BROBST, was a resident of Northampton County, and later removed to what is now West Hemlock Township, in Montour County, where he died August 29, 1873, aged seventy-seven years and six months. His widow, Ellen BROBST, is still living in Bloomsburg. Their son, Daniel, who is the father of our subject, is the eldest child, and in early life learned the trade of shoemaking in Danville, at which he still works in winter. His home is in Valley Township, Montour County. His wife, Rebecca (JOHNSON) BROBST, was born in Northampton county, and became the mother of eight children, three of whom died young. The living are Edward D., Benjamin F., Martin L. (all living in this township), Marietta (single and living with her parents) and Stinson L. Mr. and Mrs. BROBST have for many years been members of the Lutheran Church in Valley Township, in which he has been elder for over ten years, and has the confidence and respect of all who know him. Stinson L., is the eldest of the family, and was born October 22, 1850. In early life he worked at farming, and when he was thirteen years old he moved with his parents to West Hemlock, where they remained. Their house was destroyed by fire three years later. The family then moved to Frosty Valley, where , until he was twenty years old, our subject worked in the mines in summer and on farms and attending school in winter. He completed his education in his twenty-first year, at Millville Seminary, Greenwood Township, this county, and then taught school in Jackson Township four months, and for three years, subsequently, worked in the mines. He then resumed teaching, which he followed four winter terms, returning to the mines for three or four years. At the end of that time, in company with his three brothers, he bought the farm on which he now resides, to which he moved a year later, and which has since been his home. November 15, 1879, he married Miss Emma J., daughter of John and Susan HARTZEL, of Mahoning Township, Montour County. She has always lived with her parents until her marriage. To this union three children have been born: Mabel G., Charles E. and Lloyd H., who live with their parents. Mr. BROBST has been clerk of the school board for five years, and is an industrious young man who stands deservedly high in the community.(History of Columbia and Montour Counties Pennsylvania, Battle, 1887, pg. 484)
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