Kris Hocker

Will: Jacob Teysher (1804)

Kris Hocker on 20 Feb 2014

In trying to trace my Deisher ancestors, I followed a path to Jacob Teysher (aka Deischer) of Maxatawny Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania. He wrote his last will and testament on 17 December 1803 and it was proven on 6 January 1804. Here is a transcript.¹

[page 209]

In the name of God Amen I Jacob Teysher
of Maxatawny Township in the County of Berks & State of Pennsylvania Yeoman being
very sick and weak in body but of sound mind memory and understanding Blessed be God for
the same do make and publish this my last will and testament in manner and form follow
ing, to wit, _ Principally and first of all I command my immortal Soul into the hands of
God who gave it, and my body to the earth to be buried in a decent and Christian like man
ner at the discretion of my Executors hereinafter named and as to such worldly estate where
with it hath pleased God to bless me with in this life I give and dispose of the same in the following
manner, to wit, I give devise and bequeath unto my Daughter Magdalena who is intermarried
with Michael Weaver as her & their full share & dividend of my real and personal estate in
addition to what they have already received & had four Spanish mill’d Dollars. Igive
devis and bequeath unto my son Daniel in addition to what he has already had and
received four Spanish mill’d Dollars I give devise and bequeath unto my said son Daniels
children, to wit, Jacob, Maria, John, Esther, Peter, Catharine, Deborah & Elizabeth and to
their Heirs and assigns forever as Tenants in Common and not as joint tenants a certain
messuage or tenement & Plantation situate & being in Hereford Township in the County of Berks
aforesaid adjoining lands of Casper Yeakel Leonard Grisemer and others containing two hun
dred and fifteen acres more or less, and the said Daniels eight children before named are to
pay unto my Executors seven hundred pounds lawful money of Pennsylvania in manner
following, twenty five pounds in one year from the day of my death and twenty five pounds
annually thereafter untill the whole is paid, and further they are to provid sufficient meat drink
apparel lodging and washing for the said Danial their father and their Mother during
their or either natural lives. I give devise & bequeath unto my daughter Esther who is
intermarried with Henry Romich as her & their full share & dividend of my real & personal
estate six hundred and fifty pounds gold or silver money in manner following one
hundred and twenty five pounds in one year from the day of my decease and the like
sum every succeeding year untill the whole is paid. I give devise and bequeath unto
my Daughter Deborah intermarried with Philip Miller as her & their full share and
dividend of my real and personal estate seven hundred pounds gold or silver money in
manner following one hundred and twenty five pounds in one year from the day of my

[page 210]

deceased and the like sum every succeeding year untill the whole is paid. I give devise
and bequeath unto my son Jacob two Spanish mill’d Dollars. I give devised & bequeath unto my
son John and to his Heirs and Assigns forever A certain Messuage and Plantation situate
and being Maxatawny Township aforesaid adjoining lands of Jacob Sweyer, Jacob Kutz
Kutztown lots & others containing one hundred eighty acres more or less my son John is to pay
unto my Executors seven hundred pounds lawful money in manner following, one hundred
pounds in one year from the day of my decease and the like sum yearly untill the whole is
paid. I give devise and bequeath unto my Daughter Maria intermarried with Daniel
Bitting as her & their full share and dividend of my real and personal estate seven hundred
pounds lawful money in manner following one hundred and twenty five pounds in one
year from the day of my decease & the like sum every succeeding year untill the whole is paid, and
as touching all the rest residue and remainder of my estate real and personal of who him or
nature soever the same may be in the County of Berks aforesaid or elsewhere, I give devise &
bequeath the same unto Peter (except therefrom one acre of Ground lying on the road leaving
from Reading to Kutztown adjoining lands of Jacob Baldy Adam Kutz and said Road, as
also a certain tenement & piece of land situate in Greenwich Township & County of Berks
aforesaid adjoining lands of John Hildenbrant John Witrant and other containing three
acres Together also one hundred pounds lawful money) they sever sums to be paid by my sons Daniels
children, Joahn, and are to be in full as consideration money for the several Plantations or
pieces of land that I have bequeathed unto them & the said several sums are to be paid
unto my Daughters as Legacies I bequeathed unto them or as much therefrom as is
necessary to be paid by my Executors, the Grain in the Ground on the several plantations
are to be and remain with the plantation. And lastly I nominate and appoint my
son John & my son Peter to be the Executors of this my last Will & Testament hereby
revoking all other Wills Legacies & bequests by me heretofore made and declaring this to
be my last Will & Testament. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal the
seventeenth day of December Anno Domini one thousand eight hundred and three.—
Jacob [his mark] Teysher (seal) ~ Signed Sealed published pronounced & declared by the said Testator as
his last will & Testament in the presence of us who in his presence and at his request have subscribed
as Witnesses. Jacob Humbert, Jno M. Hyneman ———

Registers Office Reading in Berks County January 6th, 1804.
Then appeared Jacob Humbert & John M Hyneman the subscribing Witnesses of the foregoing
Wil who being duly swor did Depose and say that they were present together and did
see and hear Jacob Teysher the Testator sign (by making his mark) seal publish pronounce
and declare the same writing as and for his last Will and Testament and that at the
time of the doing thereof he the Testator was of sound mind memory and understanding to the
best of their knowledge & as they verily believe and further that the names Jacob Humbert &
John M Hyneman are of the Witnesses own hand writing thereto subscribed in the presence of
each other and in the presence and at the request of the Testator.
loram Me PFrailey Register

Registers Office in Berks County January 6th AD 1804
Letters Testamentary in common form under the seal of said Office on the afore written Will were
granted to John Teysher and Peter Teysher, the Executors therein named, they being first duly
affirmed thereto Inventory to be exhibited on or before the 6th day of February next, and
an amount of their Administration when thereto legally requested.
Registered & examined by

PFrailey Register

Jacob specifically named the children of his son Daniel—Jacob, Maria, John, Esther, Peter, Catharine, Deborah & Elizabeth—and places them in Hereford Township by 1803. So, his son Daniel is most likely the Daniel Teysher/Deisher/Tisher in Hereford Township in 1790², 1800³ and 1810.⁴ Thus, the Jacob Tisher/Deisher in Hereford in 1810⁵ and 1820⁶ is most likely Daniel’s eldest son. And the John and Peter also listed in Hereford in 1820, Daniel’s other two sons.

So, in all probability my 4x great grandfather Peter Deischer was the son of Daniel Deisher, grandson of Jacob Teysher, and, I believe, quite likely the great grandson of Johannes Teisher of Richmond Township.

The fact that Jacob left the land in Hereford Township to his grandchildren and instructed them to care for their mother and father for their natural lives makes me believe that there’s a story there. Why didn’t Jacob leave the land to his son Daniel as he did with the property he bequeathed to sons John and Peter? Was Daniel not capable of providing for his family? Was he a wastrel, a spendthrift? Disabled? I wonder what I can find out.

52 Ancestors: Peter Deischer (1793-1861)

Kris Hocker on 18 Feb 2014

Last week I wrote about Joseph Snyder and my search for his father. This week I’m turning my attention to his father-in-law, Peter Deischer of Hereford Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania.

Peter Deischer was born 12 August 1793 and died 23 April 1861.¹ He married Maria Trump² by summer 1815.³ Maria (Trump) Deischer was born 22 August 1791 and died on 10 September 1874 (or 1875).⁴

The family resided in Hereford Township from 1820 through 1870, where Peter was a farmer. In 1820, the family was enumerated with “Peter Deisher” as the head of household:⁵

2 males, <10
1 male, 26-45
1 female, <10
1 female, 26-25

Adjoining households in the census list included Jacob Deisher, John Deisher and Henry Trump.

Ten years later, “Peter Deshard” was listed as the head of household and the family included:⁶

1 male, 10-15
1 male, 30-40
4 females, <5
1 female, 5-10
1 female, 10-15
1 female, 30-40

Nearby households of interest included: Jacob Deshar.

In 1840, “Peter Deisher” was the head of household. It included:⁷

1 male, 40-50
1 female, <5
2 females, 5-10
2 females, 10-15
2 females, 15-20
1 female, 40-50

Other households of interest on the page include: Jacob Deisher, George Deisher, Charles Deisher, and Michael Trump.

Peter’s household in 1850 had thinned out somewhat. It included:⁸

Peter Deischer, 55, M, Farmer, $1700 in real estate, b. in Pennsylvania
Maria Deischer, 56, F, b. in Pennsylvania
Amanda Deischer, 17, F, b. in Pennsylvania
Elmira M. Schulz, 3, F, b. in Pennsylvania
Charles Deischer, 31, M, Farmer, b. in Pennsylvania
Barbara Deischer, 25, F, b. in Pennsylvania
William Deischer, 10, M, b. in Pennsylvania

In 1860, “Peter Dysher’s” household included:⁹

Peter Dysher, 67, M, Gentleman, $2000 in real estate, $1000 in personal estate, b. in Pennsylvania
Mariah [ditto], 68, F, b. in Pennsylvania
Elmira [ditto], 12, F, b. in Pennsylvania, attended school within the year

Peter died in 1861. In 1870, Maria (Trump) Deischer was included in Charles Deysher’s dwelling:¹⁰

Deysher Charles, 53, M, W, Farmer, -, $2266, b. Pennsylvania
[Ditto] Barbara, 49, F, W, Keeping house, b. Pennsylvania
[Ditto] Charles, 7, M, W, Home, b. Pennsylvania, attended school within the year
[Ditto] Sarah, 4, F, W, Home, b. Pennsylvania
Deysher Mary, 77, F, W, Keeping house, -, $100, b. Pennsylvania, cannot write

Charles Deischer served as administrator for his parents’ estates. He did not file paperwork until 1875, after his mother’s death.¹¹ There was some dissension in the family about Charles’ handling of the estate—in particular payment for the building of a barn on the farm. Charles expected the estate to pay for it as the farm was not rentable without a barn. His sisters did not recall discussing and approving it and the court was required to step in. As a result, the paperwork includes the names of several of his sisters and their spouses.

Based on the probate and census records, Peter and Maria (Trump) Deischer had children, as follows:

Charles Deisher
Clara Deisher, married Joseph Hallman
Elizabeth Deisher, married David Gery
Mary Deisher, married Everard Roberts
Catharina Deisher, married Solomon Schiffert
Judith Deisher, married Joseph Snyder
Amanda Deisher
Sarah Deisher, married Copeland G. Stichter

It’s possible there were more children born to the couple who did not survive. Church records would be a next step to find out. I’m also wondering if Peter was related to Daniel Deisher/Teysher who can be found in the 1790 and 1800 census records for Hereford Township and if Maria (Trump) Deischer is related to the Henry Trump who was listed just after Peter in the 1820 census. Two tantalizing prospects for additional research. Wonder what I’ll be able to find about them.

Peter and Maria (Trump) Deischer are my 4x great grandparents.

This post is part of an ongoing, blogging challenge entitled 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks, created by Amy Crow of No Story Too Small. Participants must write about one ancestor every week. This is my eighth 52 Ancestors post and part of week seven.

Archaeological Evidence Reveals Prehistoric Blue-Eyed Hunter-Gatherers

Kris Hocker on 11 Feb 2014

Scientists used to think that blue-eyes were introduced to Europe by farmers who arrived late to the continent. New research shows that the genes responsible for blue eyes may have already been there amongst dark-skinned hunter-gatherers.

An analysis of the DNA of a 7,000 year old skeleton found in a cave in Spain showed that the male carried the African version of genes responsible for the light skin pigmentation of Europeans—meaning he had dark skin—along with the genetic variation that causes blue-eyes.

Makes me wonder where along the line the genetic variation occurred. I doubt this is the very first blue-eyed person.

I’d always thought it likely that blue-eyes and light skin were a genetic response to the need for less pigmentation due to the weaker sunlight of northern Europe. But maybe not. I’d hardly call Spain a northern climate.

I guess we’ll have to see what future scientific discoveries can tell us.

52 Ancestors: Joseph Snyder (1826-1895)—Who’s Your Daddy?

Kris Hocker on 9 Feb 2014

For the longest time my Snyder family research has been stuck at my 3x great grandfather Joseph Snyder. According to his gravestone, he was born 2 January 1826 and died 4 November 1895 at the age of 68 years, 10 months and 2 days.¹ I’ve found him in census records from 1850 through 1880, the last surviving enumeration before his death. But I still had no idea who his parents were.

Joseph Snyder and Judith Deisher tombstone

Joseph Snyder tombstone

I decided to see if I could remedy that.

The earliest record I had was the 1850 census. A Joseph Snyder, aged 23, is listed with the Amos Jacoby family in Rockhill Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania.² This Joseph was unmarried—my 3x great grandfather’s first child was born in 1856—and the correct age. A good match. Unfortunately, however, since Joseph wasn’t living at home in 1850, this record did not tell me who his parents were.

In 1860, Joseph was living with his wife and children in Upper Hanover Township, Montgomery County.³ His household included: Joseph, his wife Judith (Deisher), children Irwin, Mary Jane and Henry, and an older woman, Elizabeth Schneider, aged 58. Was this his mother? If so, it seemed to indicate that Joseph’s father was most likely dead by 1860 and possibly by 1850.

Who Is Henry Snyder?

Meanwhile, I possess the original document for a 1830 mortgage between Henry Snyder and George Hillegas for 62 acres in Upper Hanover Township. Who was this Henry Snyder? Could he be Joseph’s father? Why would the family have this document after more than 100 years if he’s not related to us?

Looking through census records, I found Henry Snyder in Upper Hanover Township in 1840⁴ and 1830.⁵ In both records, Henry’s household has a male of the correct age bracket to be Joseph—10-15 in 1840 and under 5 in 1830—and a female of the same approximate age group as Elizabeth Schneider from the 1860 census.

Could it be that simple? Were Henry and Elizabeth Joseph’s parents?

Where was Elizabeth in 1850? I found an Elizabeth Schneider in Upper Hanover Township in 1850, living in the Joseph Gery household.⁶ The age was off—56 years, instead of the 48, I would have anticipated. But it’s a possibility. If it’s the same woman and she was Joseph’s mother, then Henry was probably deceased prior to 1850.

So, I went looking in Montgomery County estate records for an estate for Henry Snyder who died before 1850. I found nothing that matched date and location.

Bummer.

Taking a break from that seemingly fruitless search, I was reviewing Snyders buried in New Goshenhoppen UCC Cemetery on Findagrave.com and came across Joel Snyder, a contemporary of my Joseph Snyder. Joel is buried in the same section as Joseph, a couple of rows away. Maybe a cousin, I thought.

Then I saw who his father was—Heinrich Schneider, who was also buried in New Goshenhoppen Cemetery. Could this be Joseph’s father? He was a match in age and location to the Henry Snyder from the 1830 and 1840 census records. Joel matched the older male child from those records, too.

The only problem was that Heinrich died in 1860 and his wife’s name was Sarah. However, Sarah died in 1852, so maybe Henry remarried.

As clue, it was worth a little research. Maybe I’d learn something useful—even if he wasn’t Joseph’s father.

A search for Henry in the 1850 census records turned up no match. I found no estate records for a Henry or Heinrich who died in 1860 in Montgomery County. I began to wonder if this was a dead end.

I did, however, find Henry in the 1860 census for Upper Hanover Township.⁷ His household included Sophia Schneider and Lucy A. Mock and her family—both women matching the age ranges of the young females in Henry’s household in 1840. Joel Schneider, too, was living in Upper Hanover Township in 1860.⁸

Okay. So, now I was more than a little frustrated. Without an estate record naming Henry’s children, I had no direct information linking Henry to Joseph. Who was the second male in Henry’s household in 1830 and 1840—the one who matched Joseph age-wise? Where was Henry in 1850? Why couldn’t I find him? The 1850 census record might tell me who that second male was. I needed to find it.

I decided to do what I always do when someone isn’t where I expect them to be in the census indices. I go back to the records. I scrolled page-by-page through the Upper Hanover Township 1850 census records. After torturing my eyes for 20+ pages, I finally found him—right where I expected him to be.

And I couldn’t believe my eyes!

Right there on page page 417B, I found, not only Henry Schneider, but also Joseph Schneider.⁹ The 1850 census record for Joseph Snyder in Rockhill Township was not my Joseph Snyder. This was most likely my 3x great grandfather, living in the same location in which I’d found him from 1860 on. He probably lived there all his life!

Although the 1850 census does not include the relationship between the head and the other members of the household, Henry’s household in 1850 matches the 1840 and 1830 census enumerations, making it quite likely that Joseph is Henry and Sarah’s son. Additionally, Henry’s 1860 occupation—shoemaker—corresponds with the occupation included on the 1830 mortgage—cordweiner.¹⁰ He likely earned a living from multiple occupations–as many did back then—as both a shoemaker and farmer, and was recorded as a shoemaker after he retired from farming.

Furthermore, a little deed research may provide some additional information regarding proof that Henry Schneider is Joseph’s father. Some of Henry’s 1850 neighbors—William Keck, Jacob Styer, Solomon Steltz, and John F. Gerhard—were Joseph’s neighbors in 1860.

Given that I found no estate records for Henry, it’s possible that he sold or gave his estate to his children prior to his death. Henry was a farmer in 1850; Joseph was a farmer in 1860. Joel was consistently a mason or bricklayer in census records. Both Joel and Joseph went from no real or personal estate in 1850 to having both in 1860.

Conclusions

After several wrong turns and false starts, I’m pretty convinced that Henry Schneider (aka Heinrich Schneider) is Joseph’s father. Turns out—as is usually the case—I was the brick wall in finding Joseph’s father.

So, what did I learn from this exercise?

Check for alternate spellings. There may be a better match to your family member under an alternate version of their surname, ie. Schneider.
Don’t stop at the index. I got frustrated because I couldn’t find Henry in the 1850 census. FamilySearch is really good about matching alternate spellings on surnames in their index search. However, that won’t help you if the name is way off in the index. In this case, the family was indexed as “Sohneider” which doesn’t resemble Snyder at all.
Keep it simple. My maternal lines all seem to have a long history—well into the 20th century—in the Upper Hanover Township/East Greenville/Pennsburg area. I need to first rule out clues and possibilities in that general location before branching out to other areas.

I already knew all of this. Really, I did. But when your research is flowing along nicely with clues falling smoothly and easily into place, it’s easy to forget the techniques required for when it’s not. This search was a timely reminder.

Henry Hoover of Lancaster County, PA and Rockingham County, VA, Part 3

Kris Hocker on 7 Feb 2014

In part one I listed out several Henry Hoovers who were possible candidates to be the man who married Barbara Hoover, daughter of Jacob Huber of Martic Township, on 11 October 1791 in Trinity Lutheran Church in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. In part two I examined what I know about two of these men:

Henry Huber (John², Henry¹ [K])
Henry Huber (Jacob², Henry¹ [K2])

Here is what I’ve been able to learn about the rest.

Henry Huber (John², Jacob¹)
Henry Huber (Ulrich¹)
Henry Huber (Jacob², Ulrich¹)
Henry Huber (Ulrich², Ulrich¹)

Henry Huber (John², Jacob¹)

John died prior to 30 April 1785 when his children and widow sold land from his estate to his son Abraham.¹ The children—including Henry—were of age, so they were born prior to 30 April 1764. As of 1785, Henry’s wife was named Mary. That, plus his probable date of birth (prior to 1764), make it unlikely that he was the Henry who married Barbara Hoover in 1791.

I believe this Henry may have been the Henry Huber who married Mary Neiswanger/Newswanger, daughter of Christian Newswanger, prior to 30 April 1785 and moved to York County, Pennsylvania prior to 4 June 1798.² I do not believe this Henry is a probable match to our subject.

Henry Huber (Ulrich¹)

Ulrich Huber’s heirs sold his Conestoga Township property to his son John on 23 June 1759.³ Again, the heirs were over 21; they were all likely born prior to 23 June 1738.

To the best of my knowledge, this Henry married Anna Herr, sometime after 23 June 1759. Ann outlived him by nearly 30 years, negating the possibility of a second marriage to Barbara. Their son, Henry S., was born in the right time frame—1773—but was of Lampeter Township in 1818 when his mother sold land to him.⁴ This family is well covered in the book Genealogical Record of Reverend Hans Herr and his Direct Lineal Descendants.

This Henry and his son are not candidates to be our subject.

Henry Huber (Jacob², Ulrich¹)

Jacob and Barbara (Shank) Huber resided in Lampeter/Strasburg Township on land purchased from her uncle Henry Shank.⁵ Here they raised their family until 1785 when they sold their 132 1/2 acres to Jacob Eshleman, probably to move to land they’d purchased in York County.⁶ It is likely that their son Henry moved with them as Christian Huber, Jacob Huber, Henry Hoover and John Hoover all appear in the 1790 census enumeration for Manchester Township, York County.⁷

Jacob and most of his children moved to Canada by about 1791. Henry apparently moved to Canada, but then returned to Pennsylvania.⁸ I do not believe that he’s a good match for our subject.

Henry Huber (Ulrich², Ulrich¹)

Ulrich and Anna Maria (Funk) Hoover also had a son named Henry. He is listed amongst Ulrich’s heirs who sold land in Martic Township from his estate to his son Jacob.⁹ At the time, Henry was single. Henry was listed as a minor child (no age given) on 7 September 1784.¹⁰ He was over 21 by 23 September 1786 when the land was sold, so he was born between 7 September 1763 and 23 September 1765. He died prior to 29 April 1831 and had one child, a daughter named Sophia who married Samuel McAfee of Lincoln County, Upper Canada.¹¹

While I don’t have any information on Henry’s wife, given the probable birth and death dates, I don’t believe he is a match for our Henry.

Anybody Else?

Were there any other Henry Hoovers who could have married Barbara Hoover? I have information on two other men, but I don’t believe either is a good match.

Possibility #1

Henry Huber married Anna Margaretta Boyer, daughter of Henry and Elizabeth (___) Boyer of Conestoga Township. They married before 20 April 1776.¹² The couple was still living in Martic Township as of 8 April 1777, but I have no information that I can confirm relates to them after that date.¹³ It’s possible that he had a son named Henry, but at this time I have no information on this family.

This Henry may have been the son of Jacob Hoover (Ulrich¹) and moved with his family to York County circa 1785.

Possibility #2

Feronica Good, sister of Henry Good of Conestoga Township, married Ulrich Huber of Lampeter Township. They had a son named Henry.¹⁴ Ulrich Huber of Lampeter died prior to 1783¹⁵ and the monies from his estate were distributed to his heirs—David (eldest son), Daniel, Barbara, Henry, Michael and Moses— by 6 September 1786.¹⁶

This indicates—as no guardians are mentioned—that all of Ulrich’s children were of age by 6 September 1786, so they were born prior to 6 September 1765. I have absolutely no additional information on this Henry, so I can’t rule him out as a possibility, but I don’t believe that he’s a strong candidate.

Who’s Left?

I believe that covers all the possibilities for Henry’s parentage—at least from the Martic Township area. In my opinion, the best candidate for Barbara Hoover’s husband—if he came from the Martic Township area—is Henry Huber (John², Henry¹ [K]).

What do you think?

I’m actively researching these families and posting information on my website. Feel free to contact me with questions, for updates, or with additional information.

52 Ancestors: Levi Hocker (1824-1876)—A Sad & Mysterious End

Kris Hocker on 4 Feb 2014

Levi Hocker (1824—1876)

My 3x great-grandfather Levi Hocker was born on 17 January 1824, most likely in Swatara Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.¹ His parents, George and Maria Magdalena “Molly” (Landis) Hocker, had been married for five years² and had one other child, a daughter named Isemiah.³

His mother died the following winter on 22 February 1825.⁴ Her parents were also deceased,⁵ as was George’s father Johan Adam Hocker.⁶ Levi was likely raised by his father and, possibly, his grandmother Mary (Hershey?) Hocker, until George remarried. He married Catharine Cocklin, daughter of Jacob and Mary Margaret (Hoover) Cocklin, on 5 November 1835, when Levi was 10 years old.

Levi married Anna Frantz, daughter of Michael and Elizabeth (Walters) Frantz, on 6 February 1851. He was a farmer and the family lived in Upper Swatara Township. Levi and Anna had at least 9 children:

Benjamin Franklin (17 Feb 1852—2 Dec 1919)
Francis Michael (26 Jan 1854—1919)
Mary Elizabeth (22 Aug 1855—25 Jan 1939)
Emma L. (29 May 1857—14 Jul 1942)
George Warren (8 Dec 1858—12 May 1868)
Albert Curtin (9 Sep 1860—24 Jul 1940)
Margaret A. (25 Jul 1863—1957)
Herbert Hershey (9 Jun 1865-25 Jun 1946)
John Edward (14 Oct 1869—1873)

On 31 October 1876, Levi mysteriously vanished from his home. Newspaper accounts state that he had gone to bed with his wife about 8 or 9 p.m., but when Anna woke around 2 a.m., he was nowhere to be found. One article stated:

Mr. Levi Hocker, a retired farmer of very considerable means, and unimpeachable character, well known in this city, disappeared mysteriously on Friday night. He retired with the family in good spirits about eight o’clock in the evening—no one having suspected anything, or noticed anything unusual in his conduct… No cause whatsoever is known for his very strange proceeding—no financial embarrassment. It is presumed that he is laboring under a slight aberration of mind.⁷

The writer described Levi as “about five feet seven inches, black hair and whiskers slightly mixed with gray, no moustache, dark eyes, about fifty-five years of age, wore a black soft felt hat, dark suit, no overcoat.”

His body was found the following April in the water at Fry’s dam, near Middletown.⁸ He died by drowning, a presumed suicide while “laboring under a fit of mental aberration.” He was buried 29 April 1877 in Churchville Cemetery.

I often wonder what happened. His family apparently saw no reason for his disappearance, no change in his behavior. But he’d lost two of his children—George and John—to early death, one just three years earlier.⁹ His father also died in November 1873.¹⁰ Would that be enough to drive him to suicide years later?

Or was there perhaps something else? His son Michael was listed as “idiotic” on the 1880 census¹¹, but not the 1870 census¹², perhaps indicating that his disability was not a lifelong condition. He would have been about 26—a few years younger when his father died—about the age when mental illness can emerge. Is it possible that Michael was having problems that impacted his father’s mental state? Without Michael’s medical records, I can’t be sure.

Regardless, Levi’s untimely death at the age of 52 was both mysterious—as we’ll likely never know what happened—and sad. He left seven children, the youngest only 11 years old, his wife and friends to try to understand his disappearance and apparent suicide, and to mourn his tragic death.

52 Ancestors: Rudolph Mulhollan (1766-1855)

Kris Hocker on 27 Jan 2014

My 3x great grandmother Susan L. (Mulhollan) Force was the daughter of John and Emily (Boileau) Mulholland.¹ She was allegedly—I haven’t proven the connection, yet—the granddaughter of Rudolph and Mary (Weirham) Mulhollan.

I didn’t have much information on Rudolph and Mary, just the following from The Commemorative Biographical Record of Centre County, PA:

Rudolph and Elizabeth (Weirham) Mulhollan, paternal grandparents of our subject, natives of Ireland and England, respectively, came to America in an early day, and settled at Wallace Run, Centre Co., PA, there remaining until 1832, when they removed to Ohio.²

Not much to go on. I remember several years ago getting curious about the couple. They are one of the very few non-German couples in my ancestry. But when I searched, I couldn’t really find out anything about them. Fortunately, there are more records online today.

In Pennsylvania

Starting in Pennsylvania—since that’s where my relatives lived and so, too, did Rudolph until 1832—I found Rudolph in Boggs Township, Centre County in 1830.³ He was aged 60-70, placing his birth circa 1760-1770. His household included:

1 male, 60-70 [Rudolph]
1 male, 20-30 [George?]
1 male, 15-20 [Hugh?]
1 female, 60-70 [Mary]
1 female, 15-20 [Nancy or Rebecca?]

Other Mulhollans in Boggs Township included John Mulhollan, aged 20-30⁴, and William Mulhollan, aged 30-40.⁵ I found James Mulhollan in Bellefonte.⁶ I believe they were sons of Rudolph and that John was the father of Susan (Mulhollan) Force.

On 24 September 1824, a land warrant was issued for Rudolph in Boggs township.⁷ A survey for him was completed for 173 acres on 25 September 1824. A note on the survey states “There is an improvement on this tract said to have been commenced about the year 1804.” Whether or not it was Rudolph who first improved the land, I do not know.

Rudolph and family are also in Boggs Township in 1820.⁸ The household included:

1 male, 45+ (b. bef. 1775) [Rudolph]
1 male, 26-45 (b. ca 1775-1794) [William?]
1 male, 16-26 (b. ca 1794-1804) [James, John?]
1 male, 16-18 (b. ca 1802-1804) [James, John?]
2 males, 10-16 (b. ca 1804-1810) [Rudolph & George?]
1 male, <10 (b. aft. 1810) [Hugh?]
1 female, 45+ (b. bef 1775) [Mary]
1 female, 10-16 (b. ca 1804-1810) [?]
2 females, <10 (b. aft. 1810) [Nancy & Rebecca?]

I did not find Rudolph in Spring Township—Boggs’ predecessor—in 1810.

Outside Pennsylvania

According to the history, Rudolph and Mary left Pennsylvania about 1832 and settled in Ohio. I believe I found them in the 1840 census for Perry Township, Wayne County, Ohio.⁹ Rudolph was 70-80, placing his birth circa 1760-1770, a match to the Pennsylvania Rudolph Mulhollan. His household included:

1 male, 70-80 (b. ca 1760-1770) [Rudolph]
1 male, 20-30 (b. ca 1810-1820) [Hugh?]
1 male, <5 (b. ca 1835-1840) [Alfred, Hugh’s son?]
1 female, 70-80 (b. ca 1760-1770) [Mary]
1 female, 20-30 (b. ca 1810-1820) [Mary, Hugh’s wife?]
1 female, 10-15 (b. ca 1825-1830) [?]
1 female, <5 (b. ca 1835-1840) [Hannah, Hugh’s daughter?]

Mary (Weirham) Mulhollan died on 9 February 1844 and was buried in Redhaw Cemetery, Ashland County, Ohio.¹⁰ She was 73 years and 6 months old, placing her birth circa August 1770.

Rudolph and family were located in Perry Township, Ashland County in 1850.¹¹ Rudolph, aged 81, was the head of household, but Hugh Monholin is listed as the farmer. Rudolph died 23 September 1855 and was likely buried in the West Carmel Cemetery in Charlotte, Carmel Township, Eaton County, Michigan.¹²

Hugh and family were located in Carmel township in the 1860¹³ and 1870¹⁴ census records. Hugh died 27 August 1870 and was buried in West Carmel Cemetery.¹⁵

A search for other Mulhollan family members revealed that Rudolph and Hugh were not the only ones to go west.

James Mulhollan was in Perry Township, Wayne County, Ohio in 1840¹⁶ and he was in Carmel Township, Eaton County, Michigan in 1850¹⁷ and 1860.¹⁸ He died in Eaton county in 1860 and was buried in Maple Hill Cemetery in Charlotte.¹⁹

George Mulhollan was in Canaan Township, Wayne County, Ohio in 1840²⁰ and Carmel Township, Eaton County, Michigan in 1850.²¹ By 1860, he was back in Canaan Township.²² George died 17 March 1867 in Canaan Township and was buried in Canaan Center Cemetery.²³

I think that’s a pretty good start on the family of Rudolph Mulhollan. It’s certainly not complete if I want to prove the family connections, but it certainly provides enough information to suggest further research.

What do you think?

This post is part of an on-going, blogging challenge entitled 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks, created by Amy Crow of No Story Too Small. Participants must write about one ancestor every week. This is my fourth 52 Ancestors post and part of week four.

7 Generations Born in Pennsylvania

Kris Hocker on 25 Jan 2014

It occurred to me recently that I’m the first Hocker in my direct line (me > father > grandfather > g. grandfather > etc.) who wasn’t born in Pennsylvania since my immigrant ancestor Johan Adam Hacker arrived in the colony in 1749. Since both my parents were born in Pennsylvania to Pennsylvanians, it’s true for a number of my direct lines.

That’s not to say that there weren’t family members who left the state. There were. And that got me wondering who was the first born outside Pennsylvania in their lines. Here’s some of what I found.

Henry Wagner, son of Henry and Isemiah (Hocker) Wagner, was born in Ohio about 1851. Isemiah was the older sister of my 3x great grandfather Levi Hocker.
Mary, daughter of John and Catharine (Sterling) Hocker, was born near Salem, Randolph Township, Montgomery County, Ohio on 18 February 1841. John Hocker was the eldest brother of my 4x great grandfather George Hocker.
Anna Hocker, daughter of Jacob and Barbara (Noll) Hocker, was born on 9 February 1844 in Ohio—probably in Perry County. Jacob was the next youngest brother of my 4x great grandfather George Hocker.
George Smith, son of David and Mary Elizabeth (Hocker) Smith, was born about 1861 in Iowa. Mary Elizabeth was the daughter of Johan Adam Hocker, brother of my 4x great grandfather George Hocker.
Emma A. Ricker, daughter of Alfred and Isemiah (Hocker) Ricker, was born about February 1866 in Whitley County, Indiana. Isemiah was the daughter of Johan Adam Hocker, brother of my 4x great grandfather George Hocker.
Henry D. Hocker, son of Martin and Julia (Best) Hocker, was born 6 April 1862 in Ohio. Martin was the son of Johan Peter Hocker, a nephew of my 5x great grandfather Johan Adam Hacker.
Steven Earnest Hocker, son of Peter and Emeline (Bogner) Hocker, was born 25 December 1861 in Wayne County, Ohio. Peter was the son of Johan Peter Hocker, nephew of my 5x great grandfather Johan Adam Hocker.
Harman Hocker, son of Martin Luther and Mary Ann (Brindle) Hocker was born about October 1856 in Ohio. Martin Luther was the son of Johannes “John” Hocker, nephew of my 5x great grandfather Johan Adam Hocker.
William Edward Hocker, son of John Benjamin and Mary Ann (Hess) Hocker was born 8 November 1855 in Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio. John Benjamin was the son of Johannes “John” Hocker, nephew of my 5x great grandfather Johan Adam Hocker.
George Henry Landis, son of Martin P. and Barbara (Hocker) Landis, was born 21 March 1870 in Falling Waters, Berkeley County, West Virginia. Barbara was the daughter of George Hocker, nephew of my 5x great grandfather Johan Adam Hocker.

What about you? Did your ancestors remain in one place or did they go in search of a better place?

Henry Hoover of Lancaster County, PA and Rockingham County, VA—Part 2

Kris Hocker on 21 Jan 2014

Hoover land patents in Conestoga/Martic Township area

In part 1, I listed out several Henry Hoovers who were possible candidates to be the man who married Barbara Hoover, daughter of Jacob Huber of Martic Township, on 11 October 1791 in Trinity Lutheran Church in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. They were:

Henry Huber (John², Henry¹ [K])
Henry Huber (Jacob², Henry¹ [K2])
Henry Huber (John², Jacob¹)
Henry Huber (Ulrich¹)
Henry Huber (Jacob², Ulrich¹)
Henry Huber (Ulrich², Ulrich¹)

The first two grew up on land (B2 and part of B3-B5) that adjoins that of Barbara’s father, Jacob Huber (part of A2-A3). Let’s look at the information I’ve compiled on the first two and see if either of them are a likely match to Barbara’s husband.

Henry Huber (John², Henry¹ [K])

John Huber Sr. wrote his last will and testament on 9 January 1793 and named his friend John Huber¹ and son Henry Huber, both of Martic Township, as executors.² His will was probated on 3 April 1799.

Among other legacies, John bequeathed his wife Anna “the priviledge use & Benefitt [sic] of the house Garden Stables and meadow spring and priviledge to cutt firewood for her use during her natural life it being the house where my son Henry now lives” [emphasis mine] and “the Interest of three hundred pounds out of the first money which will be raised by the sale of my real Estate during her natural life.” It also called for his executors to sell his land as soon as possible and divide the income among his eight children:

Henry
Mary
Jacob
John
Christian
David
Ann
Christina

On 13 May 1799 the executors, John Huber and Henry Huber, sold John’s land to Henry Bowman (the younger), of Lampeter Township.³ They settled John’s estate and submitted their administration account on 10 December 1799.⁴ Henry’s release and those from his siblings place Henry in Martic Township through at least 1 May 1800⁵ and possibly as late as 1 April 1802 when Moses Byer, attorney for Henry’s brother David Huber, acknowledged receipt of £136 from John Huber and Henry Huber.⁶

Since he was named as an executor, Henry was most likely of legal age when his father wrote his will in 1793, and therefore born by 1772 at the absolute latest. It’s possible that he was the Henry Huber of Martic Township in the 1800 US census. If so, his birth year would have been between 1756-1774.

I have found no information explicitly stating Henry’s residency after 1 May 1800, nor do I have any information on him regarding a wife. Based on the information I do have, he’s a possible match.

Henry Huber (Jacob², Henry¹ [K2])

Jacob Huber wrote his will on 13 March 1788. In it he named his brother John⁷ and his brother-in-law Jacob Huber as his executors in his will.⁸ His will was proven on 9 June 1788. It named his children:

Barbara,
Henry (eldest son),
Jacob,
Christian (<18),
John (<18), and
Martin (youngest son, <16).

The will directed that Christian and John were bound to their mother until they turned 18 and that Jacob’s real estate was to be sold when his youngest son, Martin, turned 16. I believe, Martin is the male under age 16 and Christian and John are two of the three males over 16 in the household of the widow Huber in the 1790 census for Martic Township.⁹ Jacob’s land—minus the 20 acres bequeathed to his wife—was sold on 25 August 1790 to Adam Gochenour.¹⁰ This places Martin’s birth sometime prior to 25 August 1774, but after 1 August 1774.¹¹

Jacob’s sister was married to another Jacob Huber, possibly the son of Johan Jacob² Huber (Hans¹). Additionally, Johan Jacob named his friend Henry Hoover of Martic—possibly Jacob’s father—as one of his executors in 1759; they were after all neighbors, living on adjoining properties. If it was Jacob’s son Henry who married Barbara Huber (Jacob³, Johan Jacob², Hans¹), they would have possibly been 1st cousins.

I have no information on Henry after his father’s 1788 will. Given that his youngest brother’s birth date is between 1773 and 1774, it is unlikely that Henry was born between 1770 and 1775. He might have been the Henry Huber of Martic Township in the 1800 US census. If so, his birth year would have been between 1756-1774.

He’s still a possible match, but perhaps not the best candidate.

These two men lived on property that adjoined that of Jacob Huber, father of Barbara Hoover. In the next post, I’ll expand the discussion to other Byerland Hoover families who lived further down the Pequea.

52 Ancestors: Rachel Jones (1809-1897)

Kris Hocker on 19 Jan 2014

Amongst my grandfather Greulich’s things, I found the following newspaper clipping

I believe it’s from the the Town and Country. It reads:

Another Four-Generation Group Of This Section

Witmer-Kline-Snyder-Greulich Freundschaft

The above illustration represents another four-generation group of a widely-known family — the Witmer-Kline-Snyder-Greulich freundschaft, of which the oldest, Edward J. Witmer, has died since the picture was taken, he having passed away at his home in Marlbrough township, near Finland, last Wednesday [24 January 1912], aged 78 years.

Mrs. Witmer, aged 75 years is the mother of Mrs. Henry D. Snyder, aged 51, of near East Greenville. Mrs. Witmer’s maiden name was Miss Lydia A. Kline. Mrs. Elmer C. Greulich, of near East Greenville, aged 33 years, is a daughter of Mrs. Snyder. The youngest in the group is Master Russell Roy Greulich, who was born July 23, 1910.

Mr. Witmer was a direct descendent of the famous Jones family of England. There is an interesting romance connected with the emigration to this country of Mr. Witmer’s grandmother. She was a typical English girl and exceedingly pretty and fearless. Crossed by her parents in a love affair, Miss Jones escaped from her home with the aid of her favorite saddle horse, and swam across the English Channel on horse-back and fled the country.¹

I love this article because it creates a direct link from my grandfather, Russ Greulich, to his great grandparents—Edward J. and Lydia A (Kline) Witmer. It also provides clues to Edward Witmer’s maternal family line—the Jones family. The story of Miss Jones riding her horse across the English Channel is rather amusing and adds a dash of romance to the family story for all that it must be a total exaggeration.

But who was this “Miss Jones” and how does she connect to the Witmer family? Was she really Edward’s grandmother?

The Jones Family Connection

It turns out that the connection to the Jones family is actually much closer than grandmother—grandson. Edward Witmer’s 1912 death certificate lists his parents as John and Rachel (Jones) Witmer.² Both parents were born in Pennsylvania. Making it unlikely that his mother crossed the English Channel on her trusty steed.

Edward was listed with his parents in the 1850 census for Milford Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania.³ The household included:

John Witemer, 38, M, Huckster, $1200, Pa
Rachel [ditto], 39, F, Pa
Edward [ditto], 16, M, Farmer, Pa, attended school within the year
Henry [ditto], 15, M, Pa, attended school within the year
William [ditto], 11, M, Pa, attended school within the year
Mary Ann [ditto], 9, F, Pa, attended school within the year
Susan [ditto], 7, F, Pa, attended school within the year
John [ditto], 6, M, Pa
Able [ditto], 4, M, Pa
Milton [ditto], 2, M, Pa
Henry Jones, 70, M, None, Pa

John and Rachel are listed in the 1860⁴, 1870⁵ and 1880⁶ census records for Milford Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. In each census their place of birth is consistently listed as Pennsylvania. In the 1880 census, Pennsylvania is given as the birthplace of their parents, as well.

John died 21 May 1885⁷ and Rachel died 10 September 1897.⁸ They were buried in the Christ Church cemetery in Trumbauersville, Bucks County.

Rachel’s entry on Findagrave.com names her father as Henry Jones (1776-1854) which is consistent with the Henry Jones living with the Witmer family in 1850. In 1840, a John Widmer was living next to Levi and Lewis Jones in Milford Township.⁹ Lewis Jones is listed as one of the children on Henry Jones’ entry on Findagrave.com¹⁰ and there is a 50-60 year-old male living in Lewis’ household in 1840.¹¹ So, it’s quite possible that Henry Jones was Rachel’s father and Lewis her brother.

Henry Jones

Henry Jones was born 15 July 1776 and died 10 December 1854, both most likely in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.¹² He was buried in Christ Church cemetery in Trumbauersville. He is included in the 1820¹³ and 1830¹⁴ census for Milford Township. In 1830, his household included:

1 male, 50-60 [Henry]
1 male, 20-30 [Levi?]
2 males, 15-20 [Lewis?, ?]
1 male, 10-15 [?]
3 males, 5-10 [Henry?, Abel?, Oliver?]
1 male, <5 [?]
2 females, 20-30 [?, Rachel]
1 female, 15-20 [?]
1 female, 10-15 [?]

Henry’s wife—possibly the “exceedingly pretty and fearless English girl”—must have died prior to 1830.

Henry’s household in 1820 included:

1 male, 45+ [Henry]
1 male, 10-16 [Levi?]
2 males, up to 10 [Lewis?, ?]
1 female, 26-45 [wife?]
2 females, 10-16 [?, Rachel]
2 females, up to 10 [?, ?]

In 1810, Henry can be found in the census for Hilltown Township.¹⁵ His household included:

1 male, 26-45 [Henry]
1 male, up to 10 [Levi?]
1 female, 26-45 [wife?]
2 females, up to 10 [?, Rachel?]

Henry Jones had a neighbor named John Hiller/Heller¹⁶, aged 26-45 in 1820 and aged 50-60 in 1830. In 1840, John Witmer, Levi Jones and Lewis Jones had a neighbor named John Heller, aged 60-70. It seems to me that I’m looking at the same physical location for these three census records, and thus there is a connection between Henry Jones and John Witmer, Levi Jones and Lewis Jones.

I’ll need to keep looking for clues to build a sound case that Henry is Rachel (Jones) Witmer’s father, but I’ve made a good start.

This post is part of an on-going, blogging challenge entitled 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks, created by Amy Crow of No Story Too Small. Participants must write about one ancestor every week. This catch-up post is my third 52 Ancestors post and part of week three.

Author: Kris Hocker