Surname Saturday: George W. Houdeshell

My great great grandfather George W. (Wesley or Westfall) Houdeshell was born 28 December 1868 in Snow Shoe, Centre County, Pennsylvania.¹  He was the second son of James Benjamin and Phoebe (Mayes) Houdeshell. He was a farmer and lumberman, like many in that part of Centre County.

On 20 June 1890, he married Lovina Caroline Force.² She was the born 28 January 1872, the daughter of Jefferson and Susan L. (Mulhollan) Force.³ The couple lived in Snow Shoe and/or Pine Glen until moving to Girard Township, Clearfield County before the 1910 census enumeration.⁴

George died on 29 November 1941 in Phillipsburg, Rush Township, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania due to a cerebral hemorrhage.⁵ He was 72 years old. He was buried in Advent Cemetery in Pine Glen on 2 December 1941.

His wife Lovina Caroline (Force) Houdeshell survived another 20 years. She died on 28 October 1964 in Pine Glen due to heart disease and hypertension.⁶ She was buried in Advent Cemetery on 31 October 1964.

George and Lovina (Force) Houdeshell had the following children:

1. Joseph Houdeshell was born and died on 30 November 1890.
2. Nora Melinda Houdeshell was born 25 October 1891 in Wooster, Cameron County, Pennsylvania, and died 11 May 1965 in Pine Glen. She married Clyde L. Hoover.
3. Wilhelmina L. Houdeshell was born 30 June 1893 and died 26 January 1958. She married Earl Bradford.
4. Ida Rachel Houdeshell was born 12 February 1896 in Pine Glen and died 25 November 1950 in Clearfield County. She married Lloyd Leigey on 19 April 1913 in Clearfield County.
5. Anna Belle Houdeshell was born 11 June 1897 in Pine Glen and died on 6 September 1924 in Clearfield County. She married Luther Rowles.
6. Carrie Edna Houdeshell was born 29 March 1900 in Pine Glen and died 17 December 1989 at State College. She married William John Smeal.
7. Wesley Irvin Houdeshell was born 16 July 1902 and died 7 October 1903 in Pine Glen.
8. Thelma Mae Houdeshell was born 11 September 1904 and died 15 January 2001. She married Philip Allen Young.
9. Millard Franklin Houdeshell was born 18 July 1907 in Pine Glen and died 12 March 1994 in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania. He married twice, first to Myrtle Coulter, then to Hannah Elizabeth Etters.
10. William Arthur Houdeshell was born 21 February 1910 in Gillingham, Clearfield County, and died 15 May 1987 in Karthaus. He married in 1940.
11. Martha Rebecca Houdeshell was born 10 September 1910 in Gillingham and died sometime between 1972 and 1980. She married Jess Billotte.
12. George Caroline Houdeshell was born 3 November 1914 at Stone Run Logging Camp in Clearfield County. She died 27 January 1989 in Allentown. She married Emerson Buck.

 

• Category: Family
• Tag: Surname Saturday