Notes

[NI074316] PA 1910 Census Miracode Index
Chester A Mellott Age: 28 State: PA Color: W Enumeration District: 0014 Birth Place: PA Visit: 0141 Co.: Bedford Relation: Head of Household Other Residents:
Wife Mary M 28, PA
Stepson Carl Foor 05, PA
Stepdaugther Rosetta Foor 02, PA

[NI074727] WWI veteran Nick Name BoBo Served WWI France Suffered greatly from the effects of being gassed during the war Army Discharge # 1055242 43 yrs 3 mnths 2 dys old at the time of his death Army Insurance Certificate # 1191563 issued Feb 12 1918 / 8,000.00 OBIT: Carl Cook d. Early Wed. Carl Cook 43, well known resident of this community & veteran of the WW, passed away at 2:30 Wed. morn at the family home, 416 West Green Street. Deceased had ben in failing health for several yrs as a result of having been gassed in while in the service, but had appeared as well as usual recently and his death came as a distinct shock to his large circle of friends. Mrs. Cook had been visiting relatives in MI for a few dys, returning home Wed. morn, & did not know of her husbands death until her arrival in Montpelier. Carl son of Zack & Mary [Sills] Cook was b. Aug 22 1898 in Huntington Co. & spent practically his entire life in this community except for his service abroad. In Aug 1924 he was united in marriage with mary Shaw who survives him, together with 2 bro.s & 1 sis. Clarence Cook Montpelier, Raymond Cook & Mrs. Pearl Stonerock New Castle. Deceased was a member of the Ch. of Christ, the IOOF & the K of P Lodges, Amercian Legion, & Disabled Veterans of Foriegn Wars, in all of which he took an active part as long as his health permitted. The Body was taken to the Robbins funeral home where it will remain until the hour of the funeral. Services wil be held at the Ch. of Christ at 2:30 pm Fri., Reverend Rome Jones officiating. Burial will be in the IOOF cem. May 17 1917, Enlisted Army, Mar 19 1919, Discharged Army

[NI074749] Daily American - Fred Coffroth is the son of Alexander Ward Coffroth & Sara I. (Forquer) Coffroth. B. in Somerset, Coffroth attended Patriot St. & Union St. schools before graduating from Somerset HS in 1947. The Coffroth name is a familiar one in Somerset Co. His cousin Charles Coffroth is a Sr. judge in the Somerset Co. courts. His gndfather was A.H. Coffroth, editor & publisher of the Somerset Democrat. His grt-uncle, also named A.H. Coffroth, was president of the county bar association & a congressman. A personal friend of President Abraham Lincoln, he served as a pallbearer at the president's funeral.

[NI074754] MARTIN NISSLEY located on a tract of land near Mount Joy, upon which he built in 1774 the house in which he lived & 3 successive generations following. Martin, his father named Martin, & his son CHRISTIAN were all preachers in the Men. Ch." "In 1799, while Philadelphia was visited by an epidemic of yellow fever, MARTIN NISSLEY made a trip to the city. He became infected & as a result he, his wife BARBARA REIST, & 3 children d. of the disease. They are buried in the Kraybill Men. burying ground."

[NI074755] was ordained as a minister for the Kraybill & Mt. Joy communities in 1812, & in 1820 he was chosen as an assistant to Bishop Samuel Nissley, serving in that capacity for 11 yrs. He d. Dec 13 1831, at the early age of 54 yrs, having preached the glad tidings for 19 yrs.

[NI074756] bro. of Deacon John Nissley & a son of Bishop Christian Nissley, was ordained for the Kraybill-Mt. Joy community Oct 30 1836. He was a preacher of great influence far beyond his home Co. & congregations, having been an extensive traveler. He visited many Ch.s in the middle West & Canada. He d. at his home in Donegal Twp. Jan 16, 1890, at the age of 87 yrs, after filling the pulpits for his churches 53 yrs. He reposes with his ancestors in the Kraybill Cem.

[NI074757] On the 5 Feb [1898], Lancaster Co., Pa., JOHN K. NISSLEY, of East Donegal Twp. He was a son of Pre. Peter Nissley, who was a prominent minister in the Old Mennonite Ch. He d. in the General Hosp., where he had undergone an operation for a chronic disease. Bro. Nissley was a member of the school board of his district. He was an extensive traveler, & had visited every state in the U.S. Only a few yrs ago he made a tour through the West, Northwest & Pacific slope. His wife d. 9 yrs ago, & 3 children survive him: PETER, living on the old homestead; Sarah, wife of Clayton I. Nissley; & Maria, widow of George R. Risser, late Paris, IL. He was buried at the Graybill meeting house on Wed. Bro. Nissley was a warm friend of our Ch. paper, the Herald of Truth, & also of the Publishing House & its interest, at Elkhart." "JOHN K. NISSLEY was a prominent farmer in his day, & for 19 yrs was president of the Mt. Joy Fire Insurance Co. For 6 yrs he served as school director. He d. in Feb 1898 at the age of 64. His wife d. in Aug 1891, at the age of 54. They were both laid to rest in the Cem. connected with the Graybill Ch. They were members of the Mennonite Ch., inwhich he was a trustee, & they were known as honest people, kind neighbors, & good citizens."

[NI074758] a young & prosperous farmer in East Donegal Twp., was b. on his present farm Sep 6, 1863, a son of John K. & Maria (Reist) Nissley. Peter remained with his parents until he had reached 22, when he began the cultivation & management of the home farm [of 112 acres]. Mr. Nissley takes a prominent part in commercial & business affairs, & for 10 yrs has been a director of the Mt. Joy Union National Bank. Since the death of his father he has been a director of the Mt. Joy Fire Insurance Co. He is a member of the Old Mennonite Ch., & politically he is affiliated with the Republican party." "PETER R. NISSLEY was ordained preacher at Kraybill meetinghouse Jun 16 1904, & at Erisman meetinghouse as assistant to Bishop Brubaker, Dec 26 1911, assuming full charge after the death of Brubaker in 1913. He served the Ch. until his untimely death May 17 1921, having been a preacher of great force for 17 yrs. He was a grandson of Preacher Peter Nissley, of the Kraybill-Mt. Joy congregation. His last official services were the baptizing of 13 applicants on May 7, & administering of communion on May 8 at Mount Joy, a week before his death. His remains repose with his ancestors at Kraybill's, where the largest funeral in the history of the place was held in his memory." "One of the saddest days of my life was when our Father [Peter R. Nissley] fell down the hay hole in the barn on to the cement floor in the feeding entry, striking his head & was unconscious when he came to the house. There was where we found his glasses & we knew that he came through the entry door & the barnyard gate & closed them both as he came. He could not talk when he came in. He lingered for about a week & then d.. It was a great shock to all of us. He was 57 yrs old."

[NI074760] JOHN S. GARBER, who was a farmer all his days, remained with his parents as long as they lived, & then cultivated the old homestead until his death. In all his business dealings he was very successful, & at the time of his death he owned 3 farms that aggregated 391 acres, an estate which gave him a fine standing in the commercial world. For many yrs he was a director of the First National Bank at Marietta, & long filled the position of school director in his home district. Possessing the confidence of the community to an unusual extent, he was called upon to settle a number of estates, & from time to time he had important trusts placed upon him. In his politics he was a Republican, & in his religion a member of the Mennonite Ch.

[NI074762] d.: "Aug 12 1891, in Donegal Twp., Lancaster Co., Pa., Sister MARIA B., wife of Bro. JOHN K. NISSLEY, aged 54 yrs, 2 mnths & 8 dys. Funeral on the 15. Buried at Kraybill's meeting house."

[NI074770] As he was considering his vocation, he thought he would probably be a farmer. But a farm accident in the spring of 1921 changed his outlook. While operating a fodder-shredder, the machine severely injured his right hand, which needed to be amputated. No ambulances were available, so his brother Martin took him to Lancaster Hosp. in his Model T. On the way from Bainbridge to Lancaster they encountered a detour, & experienced a flat, on which they drove the remainder of the trip. John recalls it was very bumpy. He lost a lot of blood, & since blood transfusions were not available he was not given much hope to survive. Since the loss of his hand was a hindrance to farm work, John decided to teach school. He enrolled at Elizabethtown College summer school in May 1921, & received a temporary certificate to teach. He began teaching in the fall term of 1921-22. In Feb 1935, John was ordained Deacon at Bossler Men. Ch. to assist Harry Erb. He was a charter member of the Lancaster Men. High School Board, on which he served as Secretary for 20 yrs. In 1967 he retired from the Board at which time he and Esther moved to the Men. Home.

[NI074771] 1910 PA Census Miracode Index
Tillman S Kraybill State: PA Enumeration District: 0026 Color: W Age: 49 Birth Place: PA Visit: 0083 Co.: Lancaster Relation: Husband ImageNum: 02510926 Other Residents:
Wife Lizzie 45, PA
Dau. Fannie 20, PA
Dau. Cora 18, PA
Son Martin 17, PA
Dau. Gertrude 15, PA
Dau. Mary 13, PA
Son John 11, PA
Dau. Elizabeth 10, PA
Dau. Laura 08, PA
Son Norman 05, PA

[NI074772] Gospel Herald obit ELIZABETH E. KRAYBILL was b. Oct 4 1864; d. at her home in Elizabethtown, Pa., Jan. 3, 1942; aged 77 y. 2 m. 29 d. She was preceded in death by her husband (TILLMAN S. KRAYBILL), Oct 13 1926, & by a dau. Elizabeth, Oct 9 1925. She was a dau. of the late Bishop MARTIN N. & FANNIE E. RUTT, & was a faithful & consistent member of the Bossler's Men. Ch. She had been in failing health for several yrs, never having recovered from the effects of a cerebral hemorrhage suffered in May 1939. Although she suffered much she bore it all with great patience. In the early part of her illness, while yet able to speak, she revealed many deep spiritual truths in a remarkable way & also expressed her longing desire to go to her heavenly home. She is survived by the following chldrn: Mrs. Ira Z. Miller, Mrs. Alvin E. Nissley, Mrs. Reuben Miller, Martin R., JOHN R., Norman R., Cora, Mary & Laura. One Bro. (Martin E. Rutt) also survives. Funeral services were held Jan 7 at the home & at Bossler's Ch., conducted by Bros. Noah Risser, Simon Garber & John Hiestand. Burial in adjoining cemetery.

[NI074779] According to the 1850 Census, JOHN (45) & MARIA (42) REIST lived in Rapho Twp. with 7 of their children: Henry (18), Christian (16), MARIA (13), Barbara (11), Jacob (6), Sarrah (5) & Samuel (1). John's occupation was farmer; his real estate was valued at $11,000. The census taker, Jacob Huber, visited the Reist household on Sep 20 1850. "In Apr 1827 Christian Reist purchased a farm of 153 acres near Mount Joy from Henry Hubley, paying $6,140. The following yr, his son JOHN REIST began farming, & lived in the log house west of the barn. In 1833 he built the present stone farm house. When the family moved into their new house they used, for the first time, what they then considered a luxury, a cook stove. John purchased the farm from his father in 1838 at the price of previous purchase. He planted a grove of walnut trees which has given the name Walnut Grove Farm to the property. Here all his children were b., & after living here many yrs, his father's death, in 1855, left him the old Reist farm near Manheim where he moved with his family the following yr. In 1932, the Department of Forests & Waters made a report on the walnut grove, which they said was set out 80 yrs ago & is the oldest black walnut plantation in PA."

[NI074780] 17 Dec 1887, in Lancaster Co., Pa., Sister MARIA, widow of JOHN REIST, aged 78 yrs, 2 mnths & 3 dys. She was buried on the 20, in the family graveyard.

[NI074786] JOHN GARBER was b. & raised on his parents' farm in West Hempfield Twp. There he met his wife CATHERINE SIEGRIST. John & Catherine were m Dec 21 1815 at Trinity Luth Ch in Lancaster by J.J. Strine. At that time it was common for Mennonites to marry in Luth Ch. The reasons can be traced to the persecutions suffered by them prior to coming to Amer. In Switzerland, Anabaptist marriages were not recognized by government & chdn of such marriages were considered illegitimate. Accordingly, many Mennonites chose to marry in Chs other than their own. The practice continued for several generations after they came to Amer. No doubt, 1st Mennonite immigrants were uncertain of their status in a strange country. It is only natural that they chose to marry in Luth Ch since Luths spoke German. After their marriage, John & Catherine settled in E Donegal Twp on Colebrook Rd near John's older bro Jacob. Here they farmed until 1832, at which time they moved to W Donegal Twp, having purchased 139 acs from John's father Andrew. This farm, next to Bossler Mennonite Ch, has been farmed by their descendants down to present day. Spring of 1842 was a trying time for Garber family, on Apr 11 of that yr John passed away at age of 51. He was survived by his widow & 6 chdn of whom the youngest, Fanny, was only 4. No doubt much of responsibility for managing the farm was thrust upon the shoulders of John, who was then 16.

[NI074787] mar 26 1879, in West Donegal, Sister CATHARINE GERBER, widow, aged 84 yrs, 2 mnths & 8 dys. Funeral on the 29th. Buried at Bassler's Meeting House. Sister Gerber was a faithful member of the Mennonite Ch.

[NI074788] Preacher JOHN ERB lived 3 miles east of Carlisle. In 1835 he donated a plot of ground for a Ch. & graveyard. He d. in 1844, leaving a young family, one of whom, a son John 5 yrs old, afterwards went back to Dauphin Co., whence his father had moved, & became a minister at Strickler's. About 1835, a neat stone meetinghouse [known as Erb's] was erected on the plot of ground donated by Preacher John. It was located 10 miles west of Slate Hill & 3 miles east of Carlisle. After the death of the first settlers around Erb's, the center of the Mennonite population shifted eastward, leaving the old place of worship only a few members, but increasing correspondingly in the vicinity of Churchtown, where a new brick meetinghouse was erected in the summer of 1885. The Erb meetinghouse was removed, but the Cem. at that place was kept up, in honor of the sainted dead reposing therein, among whom we find the names of Preacher John Erb; David Martin, who d. in 1835; & Benjamin & Elizabeth Ebersole, who d. in 1859 & 1847 respectively."

[NI074791] PA 1910 Census Miracode Index
Henry E Garber State: PA Enumeration Dist.: 0031 Color: W Age: 55 B-Place: PA Visit: 0239 Co.: Lancaster, Relation: Husb.Image #: 01670895 Other Resid.s:
Wife Fannie E 53, PA
Son Elias E 21, PA
Dau. Ada E 15, PA
1 non-relative

[NI074793] PA 1910 Census Miracode Index
Amos E Garber State: PA Enumeration Dist.: 0031 Color: W Age: 53 B-Place: PA Visit: 0264 Co.: Lancaster, Relation: Husb.Image #: 01670718 Other Resid.s:
Wife Elizabeth P 41, PA
Dau. Florence R 18, PA
Dau. Mary R 17, PA
Son Jacob R 15, PA
Dau. Susan R 14, PA
Son Paul R 12, PA
Dau. Dorthy B 05, PA

[NI074795] PA 1910 Census Miracode Index
John E Garber State: PA Enumeration Dist.: 0031 Color: W Age: 50 B-Place: PA Visit: 0271 Co.: Lancaster, Relation: Husb.Image #: 01670959 Other Resid.s:
Wife Alice 43, PA
Dau. Estella ??, PA
Son Paris ??, PA
Dau. Barbara ??, PA
Dau. Alice ??, PA
Son Jonas ??, PA
Dau. Rhoda 09, PA
Dau. Edna 05, PA
Dau. Anna 03, PA

[NI074799] PA 1910 Census Miracode Index
Simon E Garber State: PA Enumeration Dist.: 0031 Color: W Age: 46 B-Place: PA Visit: 0272 Co.: Lancaster, Relation: Husb.Image #: 01680131 Other Resid.s:
Wife Fannie F 43, PA
Son Henry F 21, PA
Son Norman 19, PA
Dau. Suie 17, PA
Son John S 14, PA
Son Clarence 11, PA
Son Monro 08, PA
Dau. Helen E 05, PA
1 non-relative

[NI074801] PA 1910 Census Miracode Index
Samuel Garber State: PA Enumeration Dist.: 0030 Color: W Age: 40 B-Place: PA Visit: 0135 Co.: Lancaster, Relation: Husb.Image #: 01680121 Other Resid.s:
Wife Ellen 38, PA
Dau. Martha E 12, PA
Son Howard 08, PA
Dau. Grace 04, PA
1 non-relative

[NI074806] was for many yrs a deacon in the Men. Ch. He resided about 83 miles from Philadelphia. As a young man he made frequent trips to the city, freighting the necessaries of life in large 6-horse covered vans known as 'conestoga wagons'. He is also remembered as a 'handy man', being adept in the use of tools, & in the making of articles such as brooms, wooden shovels, forks, washboards, bowls, etc. Possessed of a robust constitution, he was never known to be sick. However, at the age of 84 an accident occurred, causing a bruise on his hand, which developed fatally." "JOHN NISSLEY, son of Bishop Christian Nissley & bro. to Preacher Peter Nissley, was the next deacon after Christian Hostetter, of the Landisville-Mt. Joy-Manheim district. He was appointed before the death of his aged predecessor, in 1843, & served 42 yrs. He d. Oct 22 1885, at the age of 84 yrs.

[NI074808] Rev. Solomon Swartz was a U.B. [United Brethren] minister in Dauphin Co.

[NI074820] 16 Apr [1864], near Hammer Creek, MARIA, widow of JACOB BRUBAKER, aged 76 yrs., 6 mo., & 4 days. Funeral sermon preached by bros. Christian Bomberger, John Brubaker & Peter Risser."MARIA EBY, youngest dau. of Christian Eby & Catharine Bricker, was b. in the old homestead mansion on Hammer Creek. Some time in Oct 1807 she m. JACOB BRUBACHER. Maria & her husband lived on the old Brubacher homestead, on the north side of Hammer Creek, at the foot of the 'Furnace Hills'. She was of medium height & well proportioned, had a round face, plump & rosy features, black hair & sparkling eyes. She had an intelligent mind & was of a kind disposition. She was well read in the Scriptures & the old German Hymn Book.

[NI074822] Henry S. Nissley, ordained [as deacon] Apr 16 1879, was the first officer of this district [Landisville-Mt. Joy-Manheim] to keep record of Ch. affairs. On the 1st page of the book he entered this note which explains itself: 'The object of this book is to keep a record of Ch. affairs, its history, of the ministers, deacons, & members & its doings. I have taken all that I could get from the notes of my grandfather, Christian Nissley, my father, John Nissley, Sr., Peter Nissley, & others. I have taken notes myself, & intend to continue in them as long as I am able, or as long as my term of office shall last, & I wish my successors would continue the same.' This entry is dated Feb 14 1889. He d. Feb 6 1907, at the age of 79, rounding out 28 yrs in service of the Ch.

[NI074823] Henry B. Reist, b. at Walnut Grove Farm near Mt. Joy, 16 mar 1832, d. at Elmdale Farm, near Florin, 13 mar 1879. Buried at Kraybill's Cem. He m. in Oct 1853 Catharine S. Garber, b. at West Donegal, near Bossler's Ch., 19 Dec 1833, d. in East Donegal Twp. 13 mar 1922. dau. of John & Catharine Siechrist Garber. Henry was an able & intelligent man, in many respects ahead of his times. After he m. he moved to Elmdale Farm, 3 miles west of Mt. Joy. He found the land in poor condition, but improved it through advanced methods of farming. He rotated crops, used lime freely, & by feeding stock returned to the soil most of the material raised on the farm. He had a blacksmith forge & a carpenter shop where he repaired his farm machinery & tools. He was interested in natural sciences & built a frictional electrical machine, when physics was unknown among his neighbors & associates. He had a large collection of books. He was quite musical & played the flute. He was a director of the Lancaster, Elizabethtown & Middletown Turnpike & of the First National Mt. Joy Bank, of which he was president for 11 yrs.

[NI074829] He stud. a term at Millersville State Normal School & taught school one term. He served 17 yrs as school director & was superintendent of Sun. School for 11 yrs at Kauffman's Ch., & for 24 yrs at Manheim. He farmed on the original Reist tract near Manheim for 52 yrs, & still lives on the property, making his home in the smaller of the 2 houses, known as far back as 1792 as the Spring House. He enjoys good health & on Apr 13 1932, his 90 b-day, he spent the morn chopping wood."

[NI074831] His occupation was farming, from which he retired 22 May 1901, to live in Manheim. He m. Mary E. Peifer, b. Nov 1847. On Sep 18 1932, his 7 dau.s gave him a b-day party at the home of his grandson, David R. Buckwalter, near Neffsville. Almost 150 guests were present, all descendants of Jacob Reist or connected by marriage, including children, grandchildren & great-grandchildren. Of this gathering Jacob was the only one who bore the name Reist

[NI074838] b. on his parents' farm in Hempfield now West Hempfield Twp.. He m. Mary Nolt, dau. of Jonas & Maria (Kauffman) Nolt. In 1791, Andrew purchased the Hempfield Twp. homestead from his father, Jacob, & there raised a large family. Like his father, Andrew was active in buying land to provide for the future farming needs of his sons. In 1810 he purchased a 258-acre tract of land in East Donegal Twp. near Mount Joy, between Kraybill Mennonite Ch. & the Donegal Springs Presbyterian Ch.. In 1823, he bought another 139 acres in West Donegal Twp. north of Bossler Mennonite Ch.. Andrew's sons - Jacob, Christian & John - eventually farmed these lands. Andrew Gerber d. Dec 24 1847, & is buried next to his wife & son Jonas in the family plot in the Mountville Cem. Andrew had his will drawn up in English, but he still signed his name 'Gerber'. His tombstone, however, reads 'Garber'.

[NI074846] John B. Longenecker was appointed deacon at Bosslers about the yr 1863. He d. at the ripe age of 81 yrs, Sep 12, 1898.

[NI074848] Christian S. Garber was b. on his parents' farm in East Donegal Twp.. He lived there only 3 yrs, however, for in 1832 his father purchased a farm in West Donegal Twp. along what is now known as Garber Road. Upon moving they became members of the Bossler Mennonite congregation. The meetinghouse was a small brick building constructed in 1811, & was located only a few hundred yards south of the Garber home. Services were held once every 2 wks. Singing was in unison & in German. Adjacent to the meetinghouse was a one-room school where Christian & his brothers & sisters learned to read & write. In mar 1851, Christian assumed possession of the farm in West Donegal Twp. that had been bequeathed to him by his father. On Oct 18 1853, Christian m. Anna Lindemuth at Trinity Lutheran Ch. in Lancaster. J.J. Strine performed the ceremony. The outbreak of the Civil War in 1861 tested the nonviolent commitments of the Mennonites. A draft was instituted in 1862 but COs were entitled to claim exemption provided they signed a certificate declaring that they had 'conscientious scruples'. Christian signed such a certificate, affirming that he had formed his beliefs carefully, & that they were not for the purpose of 'evading the military service of his country in the present exigency'. In 1871, Christian & Anna purchased the farm in East Donegal Twp. where Christian had been b.. Christian d. of pneumonia on mar 1 1882, & was buried in the Bossler Mennonite Cem.

[NI074849] Anna, the youngest dau. of Jacob & Barbara (Ziegler) Lindemuth, was b. Dec 7 1834 & was raised on a farm only a short distance from the Garber farm. The Lindemuths attended the Bossler Mennonite Ch., so it is likely that Christian & Anna knew each other from childhood. On Apr 28 1873, Anna passed away at the age of 38. Their youngest son, Christian, was only 5 months old, & Katie, their youngest dau., was only 2.

[NI074858] Rev. David F. & Elizabeth (Erb) Brubaker, of Lebanon, Lancaster Co., were m. near Erb's Meeting House, in Cumberland Co., PA, and, coming into Lancaster Co., settled on the Hershey farm in East Donegal Twp. in 1851, where they spent their lives. David was a farmer, & was for many yrs a respected Mennonite clergyman. His death occurred Oct 13 1893, at the age of 79 yrs, 3 months, 21 days. His wife d. May 23 1860, at the age of 42 yrs, 7 months, 21 days." "David F. Brubaker was ordained to the ministry at Erbs meetinghouse in Cumberland Co. in 1848. His wife, Elizabeth, was a dau. of Preacher John Erb, & a sister to Preacher John Erb. In 1851, Preacher Brubaker & his family moved to East Donegal Twp., & he became the pastor of several churches in his new home, in which capacity he served until the time of his death. His funeral, held at Kraybills, was largely attended. The remains of this sainted couple rest in the historic graveyard adjoining the meetinghouse.

[NI074861] PA 1910 Census Miracode Index
Jno Erb State: PA Enumeration Dist.: 0100 Color: W Age: 70 B-Place: PA Visit: 0410 Co.: Dauphin, Relation: Husb.Image #: 01290133 Other Resid.s:
Wife Barbara 70, PA
Dau. Ba-bara J 44, PA
Dau. Imma 30, PA
John Erb was a son of Preacher John Erb. His father d. in 1844 when he was 5 yrs old. bro. Erb was ordained in 1877, & continued in the charge of Strickler & Shope congregations for 36 yrs. He d. May 2 1913, at the age of 73.

[NI074864] Nov 10 1810, JACOB KRAYBILL donated a plot of ground for a meetinghouse & a horse hitching ground. In the summer of 1812 a meetinghouse to be known as Kraybill's with hewn logs, cut from the surrounding timber lands, was built on a stone foundation, without cellar. The audience room was open to the roof, with an open fireplace in one of the rear corners. The entire cost was $569.48. In 1840 an addition of 12 feet was built to the north gable end. In the summer of 1869 the building was removed & a brick meetinghouse, 40 by 60 feet, was erected at a cost of $3,133. After the brick house was in use 28 yrs it was found to be too small, & in the summer of 1898 it was removed & a larger one, 54 by 80 feet, with basement under the whole of it, was erected, having a seating capacity of over 800. The present Cem. Kraybill Men. Cem., across the road is an outgrowth from a private burying ground of the Mumma family." "JACOB KRAYBILL was the founder of the Kraybill family in America. He was b. in Switzerland, or along the Rhine, in 1742. We do not surely know his father's name but it probably was John. In 1772 Jacob Krebiel bought land north of Manheim from Jacob Frederick. We know little about Jacob at this time, but he seems to have had 2 mills, as appears on a list of taxables in Rapho Twp.. In 1784 he sold this land to Peter Grubb, who built a huge mansion there in 1790. Jacob then bought 400-500 acres about a mile east of Donegal Springs. On part of this land he built a mill afterwards known as Nissley's mill. Jacob was m. twice. His first wife, BARBARA KILHEFFER, d. in 1777, aged 33, at Mt. Hope. He then m. ELIZABETH DELEBAUGH. t his death in 1810 he was survived by 9 chldrn - 3 sons & 6 dau.s." "JACOB KRAYBILL (KREBIEL) was likely 12 yrs of age when he arrived in the new world with his father. He eventually purchased land & operated a mill near Mt. Hope in northern Lancaster Co. & then sold it & 212 acres in 1784 to Peter Grubb, the iron master. In 1784 Jacob moved to East Donegal Twp., where he purchased 277 acres of land & a mill which became known as Kraybill Mills, at the site of the present-day Donegal Mills Plantation. This became the 'home place' for 3 generations of Kraybills. Arthur Lord says 'the Kraybill yrs were the glory yrs for Donegal Mills as well as for the milling industry of southeastern Pennsylvania .While Donegal Mills never became a village or the focus of a highway system, the collection of buildings made it the center of local economic activity.' When Jacob d. in 1810 he owned about 680 acres. His property was divided among his 3 sons: Jacob II received the mill, Peter D. received the 'Starret Place' to the north, & Christian received the 'Bayly Place' to the south.

[NI074868] According to the 1850 Census, John P. 37 & Susan 33 Kraybill lived in East Donegal Twp. with 6 of their chldrn: Ann 12, Barbara 10, John 7, Susanna 4, Peter 2 & Israel newborn. Peter's occupation was farmer; his real estate was valued at $7,000. A 19-yr-old woman named Ann Metz & a 17-yr-old "laborer" named John Arndt also lived in the house. The census taker, John Breneman, visited the Kraybill household on Sep 10, 1850.

[NI074872] He retained his father's farm on which he built, about 1753, the large stone house now standing. This house was made with a steep roof suitable for covering with earthenware tile such as were common in south Germany. The builder planned to use this material because he feared the time would come when the forests would be cut down & scarcity of timber would make it difficult to obtain shingles. As tiles were not available at the time, it was covered with straw thatch, which had to be renewed a number of times during the subsequent 100 yrs. John built the Spring House also, probably about 1787. The Spring House is a small stone dwelling about 100 feet from the homestead & was used by the old people through successive generations when they retired & their sons took over the farm.

[NI074883] CHRISTIAN EBY, who m. CATHARINE BRICKER, retained the old homestead on Hammer Creek. He greatly improved the house erected by his father in 1754. The house & barn were in their time considered stately buildings. The barn was built 99 feet long so as not to offend a neighbor who had built a barn of the boasted length of 100 feet. Christian was a large & athletic man, retaining unusual health & vigor up to the time of his death. He wore a long beard, which in later yrs turned white. He lived during the Rev. War & foraging parties took off with some of his horses & cattle, carrying with them large quantities of flour & grain from his mill. Christian lies buried in the family grave yard on top of the hill opposite the buildings of said place." "CHRISTIAN EBY was the first deacon in the newly organized congregation Hammer Creek. The date of his ordination is not known, but reference to his duties point to some time prior to the Rev. There is little known as to his personal work, except that the congregation was so well organized & cared for by him & his ministerial brother, Christian Bomberger, that their work is a lasting monument to their memory. There were no separate meetinghouses in the colony during his lifetime, but he & his wife, CATHERINE BRICKER, opened their dwelling, which was one of the largest in the community, as a place for services for many yrs.

[NI074901] JACOB GERBER, eldest son of Christian Gerber the immigrant, was m. by 1753, for in that yr he & his wife, Mary, built a stone house on their farm in Hempfield Twp.. The house was subsequently enlarged by their son Andrew & grandson Jonas, & is still occupied as a family dwelling. In 1770, Jacob purchased the land in Donegal Twp. that had formerly belonged to his younger brother, Michael, & took up residence there in 1788. Jacob drew up his will in German on mar 6 1800 & it was probated Jan 20, 1801. It is not known where he is buried. .. With the coming of the Rev. War, the non-resistant commitments of our Gerber ancestors were put to the test. In 1775, the Lancaster Co. Committee of Observation resolved that inhabitants should associate into companies for the purpose of becoming acquainted with 'military discipline & the art of war'. Like many members of the peace Ch.s, JACOB GERBER & his bro. Christian refused to join. Their names are absent from the list of Associators in Hempfield Twp. for 1775. The refusal of the pacifists to serve in the military did not go unnoticed. Non-Associators were branded as 'enemies of American liberty'. In an attempt to increase the ranks of the militias, the PA Assembly imposed a fine of 3 pds 10 shillings on Non-Associators. This had little impact on the conscientious objectors. The Hempfield Twp. tax assessment list of Aug 1777 shows that many, including Jacob & Christian Gerber, paid fines as Non-Associators. A more significant development occurred in mar 1777 when the Assembly passed the Militia Act requiring all white males between 18 & 53 to enroll, regardless of religious beliefs. The Lancaster Co. militia roll for 1782 includes the names of Christian Gerber, his son Andrew, & Jacob Gerber's son Andrew. Jacob Gerber is not listed because he was over 53. Does the fact that the Gerbers enrolled mean that they actually served? Probably not. First, the roll must be understood for what it was: 'a true & exact list of the names of every white male residing within' a certain district. In effect, it was a census. Second, there is evidence that only a minority of the Mennonites appearing on the rolls actually performed military duty. A majority refused & incurred heavy fines as a result.

[NI074917] a great-grandson of the first settler by the same name, was ordained to the ministry on Feb 20 1831. In 1838, he was ordained bishop of a newly organized district, named Hammer Creek. Bishop Bomberger labored faithfully for 12 yrs, when by mutual agreement he & his family moved to Cumberland Co., where his wife's people lived. Christian was the first resident bishop in the Cumberland Co. District. He moved in the fall of 1849, & served his people over 20 yrs. The Bomberger homestead is located on the road from Lisburn to Carlisle, two old Cumberland Valley towns. Bishop Bomberger d. Feb 14, 1871 at the age of 84."

[NI074924] PETER REIST was bur. in Reist Cem. at Fontana Heights, Lebanon Co.. He m. ANNA REIFF. On a visit to Lancaster Co. she fell sick, d., & was buried there. Upon the death of Peter's father also named Peter Reist, for some reason or other Peter refused to take his father's farm & it passed to his bro. John. Peter settled in South Annville Twp., Dauphin Co., now Lebanon Co., where, in addition to 220 acres already bought from his bro. John, he obtained a warrant for 40 acres of land 11 Apr 1754. Upon this tract Peter built a stone house about 1760. In 1892, when the house was torn down, the walls were still in good condition. Peter Reist had been drafted for the army that was to take part in Braddock's ill-fated expedition against Fort Duquesne; but, as he was m., his bro. Jacob took his place. Only one bit of news ever came to the family of the fate of their brother. Jacob was employed as a wagoner. When Braddock's army, or what was left of it, began to retreat, the wagoners were ordered to cut the traces & make their escape as best they could. An eyewitness reported that Jacob was shot from his horse while trying to escape.

[NI074933] JOHN KREBIEL came to America about 1754 from the Palatinate, embarking from Rotterdam with 3 sons: Peder age 30, John 19 & JACOB 12. They probably landed in Philadelphia, & were brought to Lancaster Co. as indentured servants. They settled in or near Mt. Hope Twp.. John probably did not live too long, or acquire much, as records do not indicate this. His oldest son, Peder, evidently did not have any des. John Jr. settled in Snyder Co.. JACOB, the youngest, stayed in the area & was the progenitor of many Kraybills.

[NI074939] Jacob [immigrant] d. in 1810 & Jacob II received the mill. He likely added buildings & probably is the one who expanded the house into the present 'mansion-like' appearance. Jacob II d. in 1832 & his son Jacob III received the mill from his father's estate at 3 yrs of age but didn't assume control until 1850 when he was 22. In 1870-71 Jacob III sold the mill & surrounding land, thus ending the Kraybill era. In 1967 JoAnne Brown Zink & Benjamin Brown II received the mill from their father's estate. Mrs. Zink began restoring the property, which was in disrepair, & opened it as a historic site in 1974

[NI074946] He was the 1st grandchild b. on the home farm. In 1798 he bought a farm of 181 acres from the heirs of Christian Carpenter for which he paid 4,088 pounds in gold & silver. This farm was located in Earl, Warwick & Manheim Twps. In 1804 they purchased a farm on the site now known as Old Fort Erie at the head of Niagara River, Ontario, Canada. Their property was later taken to make room for the fort. Not being easily discouraged, they bought a farm farther inland, but when the War of 1812 broke out they sold their farm in Canada & bought from the Holland Land Co. a 250-acre tract of land near Williamsville, Erie Co., NY. It was upon this property that he built his house. During their stay in Canada, the mother & one son passed away, leaving the father & 4 small children to establish a home here. During the War of 1812, they assisted the army by carrying food & supplies to the frontier. About 1816 John accidentally cut his foot with an ax while clearing the land. Blood poisoning set in causing his death.

[NI074956] John, though b. in this country about 1719, desired to return to Switzerland for a wife, but his father would not give his consent. After his father d., John did go to Switzerland & returned to Philadelphia on Sep 9 1749, with Maria Neicomer/Newcomer as his bride. John also brought with him a cousin, Abraham Brubaker, the ancestor of the Indiantown Brubakers. John's father owned 400 acres of land in Brubaker Valley, north of Lititz, & John received half of this. However, John's joy did not last long because Maria d. in 1750. Originally she was buried on the farm, but her remains were later moved to a small farm cemetery along the Brubaker Valley Road about 1/2 mile east of Route 501. This is the oldest known marked grave of a Brubaker in the country. John m. again, this time to Maria Dohner/Tauner. He d. in 1804. He & his second wife, as well as others of the family, are also buried in the same small Cem. as his first wife. He & his 2nd wife had 10 chldrn.

[NI074960] Henry bought land in Licking Creek Twp from John Stevick May 2 1820. Prior to this Henry lived in Ayr Twp, Fulton Co., PA

[NI074964] b. on the old homestead at Hammer Creek, May 2 1785. He spent his boyhood on the farm & in his father's cooper shop, making barrels for the mills. He had free access to his father's books, as well as to his bro. John's library. He was not strong & it used to be said among the neighbors: 'Aus 'em Bennie gebts ka Bauer, er muss Schulmaster werre!' 'Bennie will never make a farmer, he must become a schoolteacher!'. On May 21 1804 he was baptized in the Conestogo Men. Meetinghouse by Bishop Christian Burkholder. On May 24, 1806 he came to what is now Berlin, Ontario, Can. He purchased land, then made preparations for the erection of a log-house. Feb 25 1807 he was m. in Lancaster Co. to Mary Brubacher. June 30 Benjamin took possession of his farm in Canada. Nov 27 1809 he was ordained a Mennonite minister, & Oct 11 1812 he was ordained Bishop. No sooner was he ordained minister than he advocated the building of meetinghouses. He found opposition at first, but the Erbs, Schneiders, Brubachers, Ebys & others agreed with him, & the result was that a log Ch. was erected in 1813. In this Ch. Bishop Eby taught school during the winter months. In 1833 it was thought advisable to erect a new Ch., which is still known as Eby's Meetinghouse.

[NI074969] The 4th son of Theodorus Eby, named CHRISTIAN EBY, was b. in Switzerland, Feb 12, 1698. He was m. to ELIZABETH MAYER, a member of one of the families that immigrated with Theodorus. Christian & his wife settled on Hammer Creek, in Elizabeth Twp., Lancaster Co., about 3 miles north of Lititz. Here he d. about the 15th day of Sep 1756, & his wife d. on the 12th day of Dec 1787. They had a family of 10 chldrn.

[NI074972] Elizabeth Eby, the eldest of the above family, was m. to Joseph Bucher. They resided 1.5 miles north of Lititz, where they possessed a farm of 400 acres. They both lie buried in Bomberger's Burial Ground, which is near said farm. After their decease the farm was purchased by their son, Jonas, who disposed 2 parts of it to his brothers-in-law, Joseph Brubacher & Daniel Brubacher."

[NI074975] CHRISTIAN B. EBY, the 2nd child of Christian Eby, was m. to VERONICA HERSHEY, dau. of Christian & Anna Hershey, on Dec 2, 1788. She was b. Nov 19, 1766 & d. Feb 4, 1826. They received the old homestead on Hammar Creek, where they lived & d., & both lie buried in the family grave yard, near their forefathers. They had a family of 9 chldrn.

[NI074978] Peter Eby was the son of Deacon Christian Eby of Hammer Creek. He m. Maria Hess in 1791, & the same yr purchased a farm east of the mountain gap through which the Pennsylvania Railroad laid its tracks 40 yrs later. On this farm was built the magnificent curve in the line which ever since has been known as 'Eby's Curve'. Sometime before 1800 Peter was ordained to the ministry as assistant to Henry Metzler of Strasburg. About the time of the building of the new Strasburg meetinghouse in 1804, Peter was ordained bishop of the entire Pequea district. Peter was known as 'The great Men. Bishop of Pequea'. When he was 75, God revealed to him that Christian Herr, a minister from Lime Valley, was His chosen vessel to carry on the work. Some time before the 1840 spring conference bro. Herr was pleased by the word that Bishop Eby would visit him in the near future. But Herr was surprised when Eby informed him that God would shortly call him to be assistant bishop. bro. Herr humbly refused to accept that place in so unusual a manner. However, the conference granted the privilege to ordain an assistant to Bishop Eby, with the result that Christian Herr was the only named candidate. Bishop Eby d. in Apr 1843, at the age of 77, having served the Church 43 yrs. His remains repose in the old Hershey graveyard.

[NI074980] JOHN EBY called 'Hannes' was b. on the home place on Hammer Creek, then in Warwick, now in Elizabeth Twp. John was m. to MARIA WITWER, who survived him 11 yrs. She was raised near the Blue Ball in Earl Twp.. John Eby was about 5 feet 8 inches in height, weighing between 140 & 150 pounds. He had dark hair, brown eyes, wearing his hair short across his forehead & long at the sides & back. He had on his lower lip a dark mole, a mark which most of the older members of the Eby family had. John spent much of his younger days in reading. He built one of the first schoolhouses in the neighborhood, on his land, at his own expense. It was he who decided the fate of the PA Colony in Ontario, Can. A number of Mennonites had purchased land in what is now Waterloo Twp. & were beginning to form settlements thereon. But soon they discovered their land was under a mortgage. The only way for them was to pay, but how? A committee was appointed to go to Franklin Co., PA & make an effort to raise the required amount. They failed in their undertaking, & all but two returned home. The remaining two went to Lancaster Co., & after making known their errand a conference was called. After discussion, the idea of investing in lands under British Sovereignty did not commend itself favorably. They were about to decide against it when 'Hannes' Eby arose & advanced a new idea, namely, that they ought not to look upon the matter as mere speculation to enrich themselves but as an opportunity to assist their brethren in distress. The spring following, a delegate was sent to Can. with authority to extinguish the mortgage. The land was surveyed & laid out in lots of 448 acres each. A number of those lots were purchased by the Ebys, Wisslers, Brubachers & others, & most of them are now possessed by their descendants.

[NI074984] Catharine Eby, 2nd dau. of old Christian Eby & Catherine Bricker, was b. Oct 30 1771. She was m. June 26 1792, to Abraham Burkholder, son of Bishop Christian Burkholder. They had a family of 9 chldrn. They owned & occupied a farm of about 170 acres of land bounded on the north by Conestoga Creek, on the west by the land of Mark Groff, on the south by the Lancaster & Hinkeltown road, & on the east by the land of Christian Oberholtzer, in West Earl Twp., Lancaster Co.."

[NI074985] Abraham Burkholder, a son of the 1st bishop of the district, was early ordained as a minister at Groffdale; but at his request, & by the consent of the congregation, he was later appointed as deacon, which office he faithfully filled until his death. He d. Jan 15 1840, at the age of 71.

[NI074987] Barbara Eby, the 3rd dau. of Christian Eby & his wife Catharine Bricker, was b. on Apr 29 1774. On Feb 21 1798, she was m. to Joseph Schneider, who was b. on May 24 1772 & d. Oct 27 1843. In 1807 they, in company with some of the Ebys & Erbs, moved to what is now Berlin, Co. Waterloo, Province Ontario. They settled on Lot No.17, U.B., of the Twp. of Waterloo, now forming part of the Town of Berlin. Here they raised a family of 7 chldrn.

[NI074988] Joseph Schneider arrived in Waterloo Co., Can. in 1807. The land at that time was rugged bush, unmapped, & with no roads. Joseph traveled with his German friends, his wife Barbara, & his 4 chldrn. They made their trip in a little more than 4 wks. The first house Joseph's family lived in was a log cabin he built near a creek on his property. It was a good place to build, because people needed water for their families & animals. Joseph also built a water-powered sawmill in 1816. By 1820, he had enough money for a bigger house. The new house was also built near the creek, which he named Schneider Creek. He also made a road called Schneider Road, now Queen St. The Joseph Schneider House was turned into a museum in 1979.

[NI074993] Joseph Ross, s/o James Ross, a *Scotchman,* was b Stoney Creek twp abt 1795. He was a carpenter, & d at the age of 44. Elizabeth Rush was the maiden name of his wife. Chdn: David, Ephriam & Julia A. (Boyer), living in 1884; Sarah, Mary, Leah (Oldfather) & Elizabeth, deceased in 1884. (Source: The History of Bedford, Somerset & Fulton Co.s, 1884, Waterman, Watkins & Co.)

[NI075007] 1870 Census Stoney Creek Twp., Somerset Co., PA Enumerated on 20 Aug 1870 by Christian Streng
14 86 90 Keller Daniel 21 M W Laborer PA
15 86 90 Keller Isabella 20 F W Keeping house PA

[NI075012] PA 1910 Census Miracode Index
J J Schrock Age: 36 State: PA Color: W Enumeration District: 0161 Birth Place: PA Visit: 0241 County: Somerset Relation: Head of Household Other Residents:
Wife Aggie 34, PA
Daughter Bessie 14, PA
Daughter Nellie 12, PA
Son Kellar 07, PA
Mother Rachael 73, PA

[NI075014] 1850 Census , Milford Twp., Somerset Co., PA Enumerator- John W. Smith
451 1 ANKENY, Henry 45 M Laborer PA
Magdalena 38 f PA
Joanna14 f PA
George12 m PA
Henry 10 m PA
John 8 m PA
Frederick 5 m PA
Joseph 3 m PA
Christian 1m PA
1870 Federal Census Milford Twp., Somerset Co., PA
14 204 214 Ankeny Henry 64 M W Farmer 1,500 750 PA
15 204 214 Ankeny Magdelina 56 F W Keeping house PA
16 204 214 Ankeny Joseph 22 M W Farm Labour PA
17 204 214 Ankeny Christian 20 M W Farm labour PA
18 204 214 Ankeny Sarah 17 F W PA
19 204 214 Ankeny William 15 M W PA
20 204 214 Ankeny Jacob 11 M W PA
21 204 214 Ankeny Mary 8 F W PA
22 204 214 Ankeny Frederick 24 M W Farm labour PA

[NI075017] Simon Hay was b at Zewi Brucken (meaning, two bridges) in Germany, near the borders of France, on 18 Apr 1742, & d Feb 3 1842, at age 99 yrs 15 dys. He m Anna Marie Shaver of Hagerstown, MD. She d in the stone house in the village of Hay's Mill on Mar 19 1818, aged 63 yrs, 3 mos 6 dys. 5 boys & 5 girls were b to this union. Michael Hay, b Feb 21 1775, & d Sep 30 1840. He m Elizabeth d/o Ludwig Young. Both are bur on their home farm 1 mi north of Lavansville, PA. // Among the early settlers in the Brothersvalley Community were the Hay family. On the good ship "Sally" from Rotterdam, landing in Philadelphia, Oct 5 1767, there were 3 bros namely: Simon Hay, Frantz Hay & Valentine Hay. 2 of these bros finally settled in the neighborhood of Berlin, PA & were among the 1st families of the Reformed Ch. // Simon Hay, one of pioneers of this Co., b Germany 1742. He emigrated to Amer in 1763, & settled in Brother's Valley, where d 1841. He built a gristmill & a large fishpond where Baker's mill now is. The names of his chldn were: Jacob, Michael, George, Peter, Valentine, Elizabeth (Weller), Catharine (Miller) & Susan (Baker). (Source: The History of Bedford, Somerset & Fulton Co.s, PA, 1884, Waterman, Watkins & Co.)
On September 7, 1784, Pioneer Hay was warranted a tract of land containing over 500 acres in Brothersvalley Twp, now the home of Edison M. Hay & the E. E. Boger farms. Simon Hay improved over one thousand acres of land in Brothersvalley Twp. He built the stone house in Hay's Mill in 1796, which is still standing & in good condition. The second Grist Mill was built in 1806, & continued operations until 1916, or 110 years. The first Grist Mill was built before 1800, & was later used as a fulling & carding mill. Hay's Mill one of the outstanding bldgs of Western PA. In the Museum of Philadelphia is the old loom of Simon Hay with the date 1774. These bldgs are the oldest bldgs connected with the Hay Family, in existence. The Fulling & Carding Mill has long since disappeared. The assessment of Brothersvalley Twp in 1796, states that Simon Hay owned 500 acres of land, 41 arces which were cleared. He owned 2 horses, 2 cows, a house & grist mill & was the 3rd highest tax payer in the Twp. The late J. Oliver Hay of Jennerstown, PA said he was b in the Stone House in Hay's Mill, PA in 1851. His father, William Hay, had the Store & Post Office. David Hay was the owner & operator of the Grist Mill. John Holzhouer & William Wasmuth were the weavers & Herbert Hiber the tailor. In stature, Simon Hay was over 6 ft tall, strong & heavy built & could endure hardship equal to 2 common men. The Hay Family is one of the large & influential families of Somerset Co.
WILL of SIMON HAY In the name of God Amen. I Simon Hay of Brothersvalley Twp, Somerset Co PA being weak of body, but of sound mind, memory & understanding. (praised be to God for the same). Do therefore make & declare this my last Will & Testament in manners following that is to say 1st & principally. I commend my Soul into the hands of Almighty God my Creator who gave it, & my body to the earth to be entered in a decent & Christianlike manner, & as to such remaining worldly estate, I dispose of the same in manners herein after mentioned. I have already given each of my chldn, Sons & Daus the sum of $1500 in land, property & money, so as to make them all alike I also pd my sons for working over age a sufficient sum each. I have also given to my daus considerable household furniture except my dau Eva who is intermarried with George Gebhart. I therefore give & bequeath to my dau Eva the sum of $30 to be pd to her after my decease, to make her equal with my other daus, & as to the remainder of my estate, I give & bequeath the same to my sons Michael, Jacob, George, & Peter Hay & the chldn of my son Valentine Hay to be equally divided among them, the share which would come to my son Valentine is to be divided among all his chldn share & share alike. My reason why I give the remainder of my estate, to my daid sons is this viz -- I considered that I have given my Real Estate to my said sons at to high a rate & they had to maintain me ever since & as long as I live & for that reason, I do bequeath my remaining household furniture shall be sold by public sale & the proceeds thereof together with the remainder of my Estate of whatsoever nature the same my be, shall all be equally divided amony my said sons Michael, Jacob, George, Peter, & the chldn of Valentine so that the chldn of Valentine shall only get the 1/5th part, after the $30 are fist pd to my said dau Eva. & lastly I nominate constitute & appoint my trusting friend George Walker Esq. Executor of this my "Last Will & Testament" hereby revoking & making void all wills by me at any time herebefore made -- Sign, Sealed, Published & Declared by the above Simon Hay as & for his last Will & Testament in the presence of us who have at his request & in his presence subscribed our names as witnesses. PETER DEAL MICHAEL HAY In witness where of I the said Simon Hay have hereunto set my hand & seal 27 Dec 1837 SIMON HAY
In the Reformed Ch in Berlin is a large circular memorial window with the name of Simon Hay & was presented by his Grandchildren. In 1809, Francis Hay, Simon Hay & Jacob Keefer, Trustee of the Reformed Ch, conveyed 40 acs of land to the Trustees of the Luth Ch. In the Reformed Ch Cem is this Inscription on a marble slab: In Memory of, Simon Hay departed his life Feb. 3, 1842 Aged 99 yrs, 9 mos & 15 dys

[NI075018] 1850 Census Addison Twp., Somerset Co., PA 29 Jul 1850 by John H. Smith
35 12 12 Shumaker Anthony 64 M Farmer 350 MD
Shumaker Cath. 63 F MD
Shumaker Eliza 17 F Pa

[NI075021] 1850 Federal Census Addison Twp., Somerset Co., PA Enumerated 30 Jul 1850 by John H. Smith
17 16 16 Shumaker Jacob 35 M Shoemaker 200 Maryland
18 16 16 Shumaker Margaret 23 F Maryland
19 16 16 Shumaker John 3 M
20 16 16 Shumaker Levilla 1 F

[NI075022] 1850 Federal Census Addison Twp., Somerset Co., PA Enumerated 30 Jul 1850 by John H. Smith
9 15 15 Shumaker Peter 35 M Labourer 300 Penna
10 15 15 Shumaker Elizabeth 36 F Penna
11 15 15 Shumaker Catharine 9 F Penna
12 15 15 Shumaker Mary 8 F Penna
13 15 15 Shumaker Sarah 6 F Penna
14 15 15 Shumaker Tice 4 M Penna
15 15 15 Shumaker Lydia 2 F Penna
16 15 15 Shumaker Nancy 8/12 F Penna

[NI075025] 1850 Federal Census Addison Twp., Somerset Co., PA 29 Jul 1850 by John H. Smith
38 13 13 Shumaker Anthony 20 M
39 13 13 Shumaker Lydia 6/12 F
40 13 13 Shumaker Sally 18 F

[NI075033] The 1850 census for Ward Twp, Hocking Co., OH has him located there on a farm. The farm was located in section 29 of that twp. This information comes from an 1876 Atlas of Hocking Co. The family was completely missing from the 1860 census for Hocking Co. but he showed up again in the 1870 census with a new wife. Her name was Annis Dawley. The Dawley descendants in their research of their family found that Jacob had moved his family to Central Twp, Franklin Co, MO. The 1860 census for Franklin Co bears this out. Jacob's 1st wife Julia Ann Tracy d. Dec 1860 & Jacob went back to OH. In Dec 1861 he joined the Civil War & serv. in Co. B, 75th OH Inf. as a Pvt. Jacob was b. in Somerset Co. I had known PA from the 1850 census. When he enlisted 12 Dec 1861 Jacob was 42 yrs of age, 5 ft 9 1/2 in.s tall, had fair complexion, blue eyes & brown hair. Occup: Farmer. A yr later he was discharged on a medical release for a "Right Inguinal Hernia."(Hernia of the right groin.) Mar 5 1863 he m. Annis Dawley. Jacob is bur. in Dawley Cem., Ward Twp, Hocking Co, OH. Lot No. BOX-T, Grave No. 21 with an Upright marker. A point of interest: DOWNHOUR'S are bur. in the same cem. & prefer to call it the Downhour Cem. However, maps show it as the Dawley Cem. Jacob has a Civil War Headstone. His son James Philip Wilt was also in the Civil War.

[NI075037] Owen DAVIS was a wagon driver for General BRADDOCK during the 1750's & is believed to have known the JAMES family while in that southwestern part of what was then Cumberland Co., PA. Owen DAVIS & his wife, Hannah JAMES, were bapt. Aug 1766 into Tonolway Bap. Ch. They were transferred to the Great Bethel Ch. in Springhill Twp, Westmoreland Co., PA, in Sep 1771. In Aug 1760, Owen DAVIS had moved from Frederick Co., MD, to land he had purchased on Lick Run, a tributary of the Conococheague Creek in Franklin Co. As late as 1783, the DAVISES were living in Westmoreland Co. Owen DAVIS' Millseat property appears to have been put up for auction for a $328.25 bill owed to Charles BROWNFIELD. With interest the court awarded BROWNFIELD $50.00 since the executors had not sold in on their own to settle debts. It was put up for sheriff's sale & bought by Jesse EVANS, of Phildaelphia, for $1500.00...Venditioni exponas is the legal term used...Book O, Page 28, 21 Jan 1814. The property was sold back to Philip DAVIS, Jr. 30 Jul 1831...Deed Book S, Page 126, Georges Twp.

[NI075043] Will of John JENKINS, Georges township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania, dated 10 February, 1793, and proven 6 April, 1795

[NI075049] Will of Samuel DAVIS, dated 4 Apr 1826, & proven 19 Apr 1826

[NI075051] Will of Philip STENTZ, Fayette Co., PA, dated 3 Feb 1807, & proven 2 Sep 1807

[NI075063] Messech JAMES lived about 1 mi. up the Conococheague Creek from Thomas BARR'S place on what is now the site for the village of Fort Loudon, in present day Franklin Co., PA. This section, known as the "Conococheague Settlement" was doubtless among the earliest of the country to be settled. The patent for the tract of land on which the town of Fort Loudon is situated bears the date of 1 Mar 1737. It was surveyed & laid out on 6 May 1738, unto William WILSON in Heidelberg Twp., Lancaster Co. Peter's Twp. was not organized until about 1750, & Franklin Co. not until 1784. William WILSON found another parcel of land that he liked better, abandoned this one & Messech JAMES got a warrant for it on 4 Oct 1745. For the 370 acre tract, Messech JAMES paid 57 pds, 7 shillings to the colony which included quit rent for a clear title back to 1 Mar 1737. The JAMES patent bears the date of 30 Sep 1748. The land upon which the fort was afterwards built was settled by one Matthew PATTON dated 18 Apr 1744. Mr. Patton was another of Messech JAMES' neighbors. From MD sources, Quote: "Shingas came to the Conolloways & the Big Cove, killed & took about 30 persons & drove the remainder from their homes shortly after BRADDOCK'S Defeat when BRADDOCK was only 30 miles from Fort Cumberland." In like vein we read "the Indians were massacreing dozens of settlers on the Conolloways & in the Big & Little Coves while BRADDOCK was marching on Fort Duquesne a slight 30 miles to the west." Sat, 1 Nov 1755, about 100 Indians, Shawnees & Delawares, among them Shingas, the Delaware King, entered the Great Cove & began murdering the defenseless inhabitants & destroying their property. The savages divided into 2 parties, 1 of which attacked the inhabitants of the Cove & the other swept down on the Conolloways. Sheriff POTTER reported on 14 Nov 1755, "that of 93 families which were settled in the Coves & the Conolloways 47 were either killed ot taken & the rest deserted." The Messech JAMES homeplace was 1 of those burned in that particular Indian attack on 1 Nov 1755. Sheriff POTTER stated that 40 men went with him to Matthew PATTON'S, one of Messech JAMES' neighbors, 1 of whom was the Rev STEELE. POTTER said that the old officers hid themselves to save their scalps. The men found no Indians at PATTON'S but saw the building on fire at the Messech JAMES home. When they reached the JAMES place they again found no Indians but the cattle had been shot the horses were standing, bleeding, with Indian arrows sticking in them. The Thomas BARR place was between the homes of Messech JAMES & Matthew PATTON. Messech JAMES died prior to 1771, intestate...His heirs are mentioned in a deed Franklin Co., PA Deed Book.

[NI075064] Carried off by Indians & never seen again.

[NI075065] Carried off by Indians & never seen again.

[NI075119] Isaac DAVIS apprenticed himself to Jacob WEBB of Luzerne Twp., Fayette Co., PA, 1 Nov 1798, to learn the potter's trade, which he followed many yrs. The following is a notation in the back of Isaac DAVIS' bible, "Susanna CASSADAY, dau. of Felix and Susanna CASSADAY, b. 20 Feb 1789, the intended wife of Isaac DAVIS."

[NI075141] Pennsylvania 1910 Census Miracode Index
Calvin Critchfield State: PA Enumeration District: 0149 Color: W Age: 52 Birth Place: PA Visit: 0022 County: Somerset Relation: Husband ImageNum: 00900656 Other Residents:
Wife Kate 51, PA
Son Martin 23, PA
Son Joseph 12, PA
Daughter Lucy 12, PA
Son Calvin 07, PA

[NI075143] PHEBE C. CRITCHFIELD d. at the home of her dau., Mrs. Samuel Buckman, Rockwood, Wed morn., Apr 8 1903 after an illness of several weeks, from old age. The funeral was held from the Luth. Ch. at 1 pm Fri., Rev. J. T. Balliett officiating. Phebe Cunnningham Critchfield was b. in Somerset Co. Oct 24 1824 & was therefore 78 1/2 yrs old. Her husband, Joseph Critchfield, d. Sep 8 1861. Her life was mainly spent on the Alex. Coffroth farm, Milford Twp. Mrs. Critchfield was a member of Luth. Ch., & was a consistant Christian nearly the whole period of her life. 7 chldrn survive, as follows: Samuel Critchfield, Johnstown; Mrs. S. Buckman, Rockwood; Jacob B. Critchfield, Rockwood; Austin Critchfield, Rockwood, & Perry Critchfield, Garrett, twins; George Critchfield, Shamrock, & Calvin Critchfield, Milford. Rockwood Gazette. Somerset Democrat 15 Apr 1903

[NI075146] Pennsylvania 1910 Census Miracode Index
Austin Critchfield State: PA Enumeration District: 0157 Color: W Age: 57 Birth Place: PA Visit: 0114 County: Somerset Relation: Husband ImageNum: 00900649 Other Residents:
Wife Sarah E 58, PA
Daughter Essie M 28, PA
Grandson Jessie Layman 07, PA
1 non-relative

[NI075148] Somerset Herald 9/15/1897 MRS JACOB GINDLESBERGER. SALLY (THOMAS) GINDELSBERGER d at home Thomas' Mill, Somerset Co, 5 am Wed Sep 8 1897, after long illness of pulmonary trouble. The deceased b vicinity of Thomas' Mills abt 28 yrs ago d/o Moses & Barbara Thomas. m abt 8 yrs ago mother of 2 chldn, 1 d last Spring. Mrs. Thomas is survived by her hus., 1 child, her parents & the following bro.s & sis.s Amanda, w/o Stephen Thomas; Thomas, Thomas' Mills; Catharine, w/o Jacob Saylor, Jenner Twp; John, Davidsville; Jacob & Levi Thomas, Thomas' Mills. The funeral took place 9:30 am Fri from the Thomas Mennonite Ch.. Bur. the Ch. graveyard. The obsequies were conducted by Rev. Samuel G. Shetler of Holsopple.
Herald of Truth Vol XXXIV No 19, Oct 1 1897, pg 301, 302. Gindlesperger - On 1 Sep 1897 in Somerset Co, PA of consumption, Sis Sallie w/o Bro Jacob Gindlesperger & dau-in-law of Pre Samuel Gindlesperger aged 25y 5m 21d. She was bur on 3rd at Thomas Menn M H. Funeral Servs by Jonas Blauch, S G Shetler & L A Blough. She is survived by husb, 2 chdn & many warm friends. 1 chd preceded her several mos ago. Her pleasant & mild ways won for her many warm friends, which was manifested by lg congregation at funeral. Shortly before she d she was talking abt beautiful rd she was traveling & beautiful springs she was seeing so that she left a strong evidence that she d happy.

[NI075150] Gospel Herald Vol XXXIV # 8 May 22 1941 pg 174, 175. THOMAS, Mary Amanda d/o late Moses & Barbara (Blough) Thomas b Jan 17 1861 d Thomas Mills, Somerset Co, Pa Apr 6 1941 aged 80y 2m 20d. She m Stephen Thomas Jun 30 1878. She was preceded by husb, 2 chdn, Mrs Linnie Minerva Kaufman & Mrs Annie Edith Speicher, & 2 bros & 2 sis': Levi & Jacob Thomas, Mrs Sallie Gindlesperger, & Ms Anna Thomas. 4 gchdn & 4 ggchdn preceded her. She is survived by 1 bro John Thomas, & a sis Mrs Catharine Saylor, 9 gchdn & 18 ggchdn. She was memb Thomas Menn Ch. Funeral in home & at Thomas Ch by S G Shetler, assisted by Aldus Wingard. Bur Thomas cem.

[NI075152] Gospel Herald - Vol III, # 2 - Apr 14, 1910 - pg 31. Livingston, Annie d/o Bro. Jacob & Sister Ella Livingston of near Davidsville, Pa. b Dec 5, 1900d Mar 29, 1910 aged 9y 3m 24d. Annie was a bright child, but disease of dropsy took hold of her & caused her to suffer a great deal of pain; but when she came to dying hour she gave all her friends goodbye. She was bur Mar 30 at Blough Ch. Funeral by S. D. Yoder, Simon Layman & L. A. Blough.

[NI075153] Gospel Herald - Vol XLVII # 11 Mar 17 1953 pg 262, 263. Saylor, Catherine d/o Moses & Barbara (Blough) Thomas b Somerset Co, Pa Apr 30 1866 d at home of her son, Lemon Feb 9 1953 aged 86y 9m 10d. She m Jacob Saylor on Apr 2 1882. Her husb & 2 chdn Norman & Annie preceded her. Surviving are 2 sons Lemon, Holsopple, Pa; & Orange, Davidsville, Pa, 8 gchdn, & 14 ggchdn. She was last of family of 7 to be called home. She united with Thomas Menn Ch in 1882 & was memb over 70y. Funeral at Thomas Menn Ch, in charge of Aldus Wingard & Harry C Blough, bur in adjoining Cem.

[NI075155] Gospel Herald - Vol XXXVI No 3 Apr 15 1943 pg 62, 63, Thomas, John M s/o Moses & Barbara (Blough) Thomas b Somerset Co, PA May 22 1856 d Mar 29 1943; aged 86y 10m 4d. He m Rachel Blough Feb 4 1877. To this union were b 4 chdn, 2 of whom survive Mrs Barbara, wid/o Isaac Hostetler; & Norman, both Hollsopple, PA. He was preceded in death by his companion who d 1918, 1 chld, who d in infancy, & a dau Jemima w/o T L Blough, who d abt 7ys ago. He is also survived by 11 gchdn, 11 ggchdn, & 1 sis Mrs Catharine Saylor. He & his companion united with Menn Ch in Oct 1877, to which he remained faithful. He was an active memb in his earlier yrs & faithful attendant until past few yrs, when infirmities of old age came upon him. He was blind for over 14ys, but patient & submissive to his lot. Short funeral Servs were held at home Mar 24, by Bro H C Blough, followed by Servs at Blough Ch by Breth Sanford G Shetler & H C Blough, bur in Cem near Ch.

[NI075156] Gospel Herald Vol VII # 21 Aug 20 1914 pg 343. Thomas, Jacob M Thomas, Thomas Mills, Pa b Apr 8 1854 d Jul 16 1914 aged 60y 3m 8d. Funeral Thomas Menn Ch by Samuel Zimmerman & L A Blough.

[NI075158] David D Blough State: PA Enumeration District: 0158 Color: W Age: 47 Birth Place: PA Visit: 0118 County: Cambria Relation: Husband ImageNum: 00300460 Other Residents:
Wife Ella 40, PA
Son Robert M 11, PA

[NI075159] SOMERSET LEADER DEC 3, 1909 HARRY HEMMINGER, young s/o Mr. & Mrs. Austin Hemminger, who reside between Holsopple & Boswell, was found dead in bed at an early hour on the 3rd inst., death probably being due to an attack of grip that affected his heart. He is survived by his parents & nine bros & sisters. The funeral took place from the Horner Ch. the following afternoon, services being conducted by the Re. H. S. Gardner of Stoystown.
HARRY HEMMINGER, 10 yr old son of Mr. & Mrs. Austin Hemminger, living between Holsopple & Boswell, was on the morn. of the 3rd inst. found dead in his bed. His illness was diagnosed as the grip. Besides his parents he is survived by the following bro.s & sis.s: Laura, Edith, Emily, Samuel, Ned, Myra, Anna, Freda, & Mary. Funeral service held at the Horner Ch., near Ralphton.

[NI075169] 3 3 1836 Nancy LAMBERT Shelby Co., KY, Nancy LAMBERT widow/o Moses LAMBERT & Samuel SHEETS & Emily his wife, Davis LAMBERT, Lewis Garrett LAMBERT, George LAMBERT & Elizabeth Ann his wife, heirs of Moses, decd, all of Shelby Co., 100 acs of land

[NI075181] Jacob Wissler, who was b. on the old 'Wissler homestead' on Middle Creek, Clay Twp., Lancaster Co.. He lived & d. on the old homestead. In his old age he built a one-story brick-house for himself & his dau. Catharine. This building adjoined the house-yard of the old homestead. Both Jacob & Anna lie bur. at Hammar Creek Mennonite Meeting House, 2 miles west of their home." "Jacob Wissler was b. in Clay Twp. in 1778, son of Andrew Wissler, & was one of the successful farmers of his day, following agricultural pursuits until his death in 1853. He had prospered by thrift & industry, & at the time of his death owned 4 farms. He was a man of considerable energy, & made 3 journeys to Canada on horseback. He was one of the old Mennonites of Lancaster Co., but did not ignore altogether the law of self-defense, & one of his descendants still cherishes the cane with which he defended himself against the attack of an Indian, when on one of the trips mentioned. In 1800 Jacob m. Anna, dau. of Christian Eby, & 10 children were b. to them."

[NI075187] Many immigrants by the name of Gerber or Garber came to America in the early part of the 18th century. Most, if not all, were Men. or Amish from the Canton of Berne in Switzerland, where to this day many Gerbers still reside near Langnau & Sumiswald. It is not known when CHRISTIAN GERBER first arrived in PA. There are conflicting claims. But it seems certain he was in Lancaster Co. by May 22 1735, for on that date he obtained a survey for 236 acres of land several miles east of the Susquehanna River near MOUNTVILLE. On Jul 6 1741, Christian obtained a Deed for the same tract from John, Thomas & Richard Penn. The purchase price was 36 pds, 11 shillings & 8 pnce. In 1760, Christian divided the homestead between 2 of his sons, with the upper half going to his eldest son JACOB, & the lower half to CHRISTIAN. On Nov 5 1768, Christian had his Will drawn up in German. Many of the early immigrants were unable to write & merely signed their name with an 'X'. Christian, however, could write, if not too legibly. Christian d. by Jan 14 1769 when his Will was probated. It is not known where he is buried, but it is likely that his remains are in a small family plot that has since disappeared.

[NI075192] According to his father's will he was unable to care for himself.

[NI075193] Purchased his father's farm in Donegal Twp., Lancaster Co., in 1802 & sold it to John Longenecker in 1822. His subsequent location & affairs are unknown

[NI075195] They thought of moving to Can. in 1794 but instead moved to Westmoreland Co. They are buried in the Alverton Mennonite Cemetery, East Huntingdon Twp., Westmoreland Co

[NI075200] probably m. after he arrived in America in 1728 on the Mortonhouse because their children were still young in 1749 when PHILIP NOLT wrote his will. He ordered that his children keep house upon his place & live together in peace. By 1755 all of their dau.s were m. except Maria.

[NI075233] JOHN NISSLEY was ordained as deacon about the same time that Preacher Jacob Hershey was ordained for his duties. Both served the Mt. Joy-Kraybill community, & by a strange coincidence Bro. Nissley d. only 15 days after the death of his worthy colaborer. He passed away Oct 19 1819, at the age of 69. These 2 men ministered together for 30 yrs

[NI075251] About 1700 HANS & BARBARA REIST confessed the Men. religion in Durrenroth, Berne, Switzerland. The Men. were persecuted at this time because they would not serve as soldiers or take an oath. On Feb 6 1701, Hans promised to renounce his faith, but could not bring himself to do so & was driven from the country. Barbara probably accompanied her husband but returned to look after her children. Hans, too, returned, though secretly, for in May 1704 they were at a Men. meeting. This became known & Hans again fled the country. Barbara remained with the children, but in Jun 1706 she was accused of making converts & left to avoid imprisonment. In their wanderings Hans & Barbara went to the Principality of Basel & later to Montbeliard, France. In 1723, Hans settled there & d. in the spring of the same yr." "HANS REIST was a Men. elder in the Emme River Valley east of Bern. Little is known about his life aside from information preserved in letters chronicling his disagreements with Jakob Ammann. He was m. to BARBARA RYSER. Because they were Anabaptists, the authorities expelled them from their village of Rotenbaum. Reist broke exile in a few yrs & returned home, hoping to live in peace. In 1701, officials again arrested Reist & he promised to attend the state church & take the sacraments. Probably Reist had no more intention of keeping that promise than he had of remaining in exile yrs earlier. Reist knew how to survive tough times. He sympathized with the failings of others & allowed his congregation & the 'True-Hearted' a lot of spiritual latitude. As the 17th century closed, stirrings of renewal surfaced among the Swiss Men.. 1 of the voices for reform was a young elder named Jakob Amman. Amman suggested that Ch. life would be strengthened if congregations communed twice a yr. Swiss Men.s had observed communion once a yr. Amman's congregations instituted more frequent communion, & some other fellowships asked their leaders to make the same change. A number of these elders, notably HANS REIST, balked at the idea of introducing a new practice. Reist held out the possibility that the True-Hearted might be saved without confessing God's grace & receiving baptism. Reist also did not practice social avoidance against those who left the Ch.; he was comfortable with merely excluding such from communion. So when some in Reist's congregation clamored for more frequent communion & Reist called fellow ministers Niklaus Moser & Peter Giger for counsel, Ammann decided to open the debate further. Ammann asked Moser & Giger to find out what Reist really believed about shunning. Reist answered with the words of Jesus: 'What enters the mouth does not defile the man, but what comes out of the mouth.' Reist had no intention of shunning errant members. In 1693 Ammann & 3 other ministers began to travel through the Men. communities, preaching avoidance & questioning ministers on their teaching. Ministers in a neighboring town suggested that Amman call a meeting of Ch. leaders & settle the matter publicly. Niklaus Moser's barn served as meeting place. Many did not attend - among them, Hans Reist. After discussion, those present decided to invite all leaders & lay members to meet again in 2 wks. The next 14 dys were filled with meetings & letters. Ammann tried to contact Reist, who still refused to say that the True-Hearted were not saved. When the day of the second conference arrived, Hans Reist did not appear. He sent word to those at the barn that he was harvesting & too busy to be bothered. Upon hearing this, Ammann 'became enraged' & excommunicated Reist. Although the division had not yet spread beyond Switzerland, it was clear that there were now 2 groups: the larger Men. community represented by Hans Reist, & the reforming 'Ammann-ish' faction led by Jakob Ammann.

[NI075257] Christian had a farm of 185 acres in Warwick Twp., and, having no children, he willed his property, both personal & real, forever to his wife, Barbara, who lived some yrs longer.

[NI075265] He made out his will on mar 14, 1812 & it was probated on Apr 29 1814. Christian & Anna are bur. in Bosslers Cem.

[NI075267] JOHN BRUBAKER emigrated from Switzerland to Germany to America about 1710. No record has been found showing the exact time. In 1717, he & a certain Christian Hershey jointly took out a warrant for 1,000 acres of land situated in Hempfield Twp., 3 mls west of Lancaster city. In 1718 he & Hershey divided the tract into 2 equal parts by running a line east & west, Brubaker taking the southern part, viz., 500 acres, on which he built the 1st grist & saw mill in Lancaster Co. so tradition says, the mill property being located on the little Conestoga Creek, at what is now called 'ABBEYVILLE'. On May 13 1728, John Brubaker & his wife, ANNA, sold 150 acres, including the mill, to 1 Christian Stoneman.

[NI075284] THEODORUS EBY, son of Bishop JACOB EBY, was b. in Canton Zurich, Switzerland, on 25 Apr 1663. He left his native country about 1704 on account of religious persecution. From 1704-1715 he resided in the 'Palatinate' or Pfaltz, Germany. Finding persecution there equally severe, he left for Philadelphia in the Spring of 1715. Some time in Aug of the same yr he settled on Mill Creek. Theodorus' family consisted of 5 sons & 1 dau.. The sons were all skilled in the mechanical arts, so that with their assistance Theodorus built a mill & other buildings without employing persons outside the family, except for the purpose of burning charcoal to supply the smith forge, which process they themselves did not sufficiently understand. Few people have the opportunity to acquire their family homestead, especially one built 9 generations ago. I & my wife, Dace, have been fortunate enough to do just this. We are restoring the Eby house along Mill Creek in Earl Twp., Lancaster Co.. We are both natives of Lancaster Co.. I lived away from the area for 21 yrs & returned in 1990. Theodorus Eby first arrived in what is now Lancaster Co. in 1712, the first immigrant to North America of this family. He received a warrant for 300 acres in what is now Lancaster city on May 18 1718. In 1724 he had surveyed & purchased the land along Mill Creek from Martin Kendig & John Herr. A saw & grist mill were on the site by 1726. Family tradition places the erection of the stone house in 1727, & claims that Theodorus lived there a short time before his death. But by 1755 it passed out of the Eby family. When we purchased the house in 1990, it had block additions in the front and back plus numerous alterations. Fortunately no plumbing or electricity had ever been installed thanks to Amish ownership for the prior 7 decades. It is exciting to live in this house & realize that my ancestors built it over 260 yrs ago. We hope other family members will stop by near the intersection of Peters & Hollander roads to say hello.