A Pennsylvania Dutch Genealogy

Book Review: Our Daily Bread Gaining Insight into German Village Life

Kris Hocker on 18 Sep 2014

I’ve been working on “A Hacker-Hocker Family” recently and decided I needed to add flavor to the narrative. I wanted to provide some social and historical context to help bring my ancestors to life as real people.

Since most of my ancestors were German and continued their customs and traditions, bringing their way of life to the New World when they immigrated, I needed to understand life in a German village. Unfortunately, while there are scads of information about historical events and personages, I wasn’t able to find much on the day-to-day lives of the common people—people like my ancestors.

Until, that is, I found Teva Scheer’s book Our Daily Bread: German Village Life, 1500-1850 (affiliate link). The author created a fictitious village called Hochfeld am Neckar in southwestern Germany and tells the story of village life through the events in the life of her main character, Johann Adam Mann, his family, ancestors, and neighbors.

The book sets the groundwork in the first three chapters, covering peasant status, religion, and war. It, then, expands to cover family, “the daily aspects of villagers’ lives: their families, livelihoods, inheritance customs, self-governance practices, and village institutions such as the school.”¹ And finally, the author wrote about the immigration experience, both leaving Germany and settling in America.

Although as the author claims, “this is not an academic work,” she does provide extensive footnotes throughout the content and a bibliography at the end. While most of the events she wrote about occur in the 1800s, they are still applicable to earlier generations. Nor does she ignore earlier historical events that shaped the villagers lives—the Reformation, the 30 Years War.

The book was both informative and easy-to-read. I bought the Kindle ebook, but it is available in paperback, as well. I would recommend it to any genealogist with German ancestors.

Buy Our Daily Bread: German Village Life, 1500-1850

This is an affiliate link. If you purchase the book by clicking this link, Amazon will pay me a little money. It won’t affect the price you pay.

Follow-up: Aetna Explosives Co. at Mount Union

Kris Hocker on 12 Sep 2014

Will Hocker – Aetna Explosives Co. Crew?

Last week I wrote a post about the September 1916 explosion at the Aetna Explosives Company’s factory in Mount Union, Pennsylvania. Following up with additional newspaper research, I found that this explosion wasn’t the first, nor was it the last. Here’s what I’ve been able to piece together regarding the history of this factory. ¹

Timeline:

1915

Week of May 19, 1915: Purchased Westbrook farm
25 May 1915: William Hocker’s first child was born in Harrisburg
1 July 1915: Plant scheduled to open
14 July 1915: Two workmen died in accident
16 August 1915: Started manufacturing explosives
15 September 1915: Factory started manufacturing gun cotton
24 September 1915: Workmen burned by acid when ringer exploded, one man seriously burned
5 October 1915: Four workmen badly burned on their faces and bodies by acid in accident
14 October 1915: Plant was looking for 1,500 workmen (1,000 carpenters) to expand
11 November 1915: First shipment of gun cotton, 150,000 pounds, sent out
18 November 1915: Started manufacturing smokeless gun power
22 November 1915: Ether room at the factory exploded
2 December 1915: Broke ground for factory expansion
19 December 1915: Footbridge to factory washed away after flooding in the Juniata River

1916

7 January 1916: Solvent Recovery Building No. 3 burned down
14 January 1916: Fire at factory
16 January 1916: Fire in the “screen barrel house” at factory; third fire in one week
25 March 1916: Powder plant almost a year old
26 April 1916: Worker Harry Pierson lost his right hand at wrist when it was caught under a hydraulic press
16 May 1916: Three fires overnight in cotton drying building
2 July 1916: Explosion at least one dead²
29 July 1916: Aetna received order for 5 million pounds of smokeless power from U.S. government
12 September 1916: H. Subree, an Aetna chemist, was bitten by a copperhead snake
20 September 1916: Six men killed and many injured in explosion in the cotton dry house
2 October 1916: Powder plant closed down
12 October 1916: Plant planned to open to manufacture dyes and sulphuric acid
16 October 1916: Last smokeless powder manufactured
21 November 1916: Powder plant to reopen with large order for explosives, planned to hire 1,500-2,300 men
2 December 1916: Powder plant resumed operations

1917

17 January 1917: Solvent recovery building completely destroyed by fire, no one was badly hurt
18 April 1917: Debtors applied for receiver to be named for Aetna Explosives Company
30 April 1917: Acid tank exploded, badly burning six men, one of whom—David Sollenberger—later died
5 Jun 1917: William Hocker registered for the draft and was working at the factory as a millwright
17 July 1917: Two men—Lew Port and John Flasher—were seriously burned in an explosion at the plant
24 December 1917: Fire at the plant caused about $60,000 worth of damage
29 December 1917: Citizens of Mount Union signed up to become members of the local Red Cross chapter

1918

19 January 1918: Seven state policemen arrived to guard two million pounds of TNT powder
2 July 1918: Seven buildings were destroyed by raging fire at the plant, however there was no loss of life
13 July 1918: 300 men arrived to repair the damaged building and expand the plant
15 July 1918: Nine men were injured, possibly five fatally, by explosion in the gun cotton building

My great grandfather was working at the Aetna Explosives Company manufacturing plant at Mount Union by 5 Jun 1917.³ In reading through the news reports on the company after that date, I see nothing that matches the family story. There were fires that destroyed buildings and resultant injuries, but no loss of life. I can’t imagine that there would have been no news coverage of an explosion that killed workers.

So, if the explosion my grandfather told me about didn’t happen after 5 June 1917, then it must have happened before that date. Again, in 1917, I found reference to explosions, fires and burn injuries, but only one casualty is mentioned—David Sollenberger in April 1917. The only explosion that resulted in multiple deaths that was reported consistently in the Pennsylvania newspapers I reviewed was the September 1916 explosion.

There was a mention in the Gettysburg Star & Sentinel of an explosion in October 1916 that killed 19 men.⁴ This was also reported in the Chicago Livestock World in an article about another explosion in January 1917.⁵ This explosion seems a better match to the family lore.

However, I found no mention of the October 1916 explosion in Pennsylvania newspapers when I searched Chronicling America or the Google newspaper archive. With such a substantial loss of life, the lack of newspaper coverage seems very strange to me. Especially when the Harrisburg newspapers reported on the layoff of workers from Mt. Union and the “closing” of the factory that month and the reopening a month later.

I’d still like to review Harrisburg city directories to try to determine when my great grandfather and his family left Harrisburg for Newton-Hamilton. Maybe that’ll help narrow down the time frame to look for a historical match to the family story.

Updated 27 November 2016: Add a reader-sourced explosion and death (2 July 1916) to the timeline.

Early American Colonial History Timeline

Kris Hocker on 11 Sep 2014

Timelines are a great way to gain perspective and understanding of the historical period in which your ancestor lived. GenealogyBank has posted a wonderful graphic showing early American colonial events on an infographic entitled “Settling America.” Their blog post also lists newspapers in their Early American Newspaper collection, including newspapers from the late 17th and 18th centuries from the American colonies.

Courtesy of: GenealogyBank.com

Click through to read the entire blog post on the GenealogyBank site.

City Directories: More Than a List of Names

Kris Hocker on 5 Sep 2014

The New England Historical Genealogical Society is digitizing city directories and adding them to their Digital Library & Archive. A recent post on their site Vita Brevis explains the benefits of adding this record type to your go-to research sources.

52 Ancestors: Lillian (Snyder) Greulich (1879-1947)

Kris Hocker on 3 Sep 2014

Lillian Witmer Snyder

Lillian Witmer Snyder, daughter of Henry D. and Saraphine K. (Witmer) Snyder, was born 26 October 1879 in Marlborough Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. In 1880, her family was living adjacent Saraphine’s parents Edward and Lydia (Kline) Witmer.¹ Both Henry and Saraphine were working as tailors, as was Saraphine’s mother, Lydia.

Lillian’s grandfather, Joseph Snyder, died on 4 November 1895. Her father and uncle Amandus were the executors of Joseph’s will. They sold Joseph’s farm to their brother Mahlon for $2700. He and his wife Clara, then, sold the farm to Henry, minus 40 square perches for himself.² The family was likely living there in 1900 with Henry’s mother, Judith.³ Henry was listed as a farmer. Lillian was aged 20, working as a dressmaker.

Elmer and Lillian (Snyder) Greulich (c 1901)

Lillian married Elmer Calvin Greulich on 21 September 1901 in East Greenville.⁴ At the time, they were both 21 years of age. Lillian was working as a teacher and Elmer was a cigarmaker. The school building where she taught was located across from the New Goshenhoppen Reformed Church and adjacent to her father’s farm.

Lillian and Elmer’s only child—Russell Roy Greulich—was born Saturday, 23 July 1910 when the couple was living in Upper Hanover Township, just outside East Greenville.⁵ In 1922 when he was 12, the family moved to Lansdale, Pennsylvania, where they stayed.

Elmer Greulich (1880-1947) and Lillie W. (Snyder) Greulich (1879-1949)

Elmer died Friday, 10 January 1947 in Lansdale of a coronary occlusion.⁶ He’d been blind and bedridden due to diabetes for several years before he died. He was buried on Thursday, 16 January 1947 at New Goshenhoppen Reformed Church cemetery. He was survived by his widow, a son, three grandchildren, three sisters, and a brother.

Lillian died Sunday, 13 February 1947 in Sellersville Hospital of acute left ventricular heart failure.⁷ She was buried with her husband on Thursday, 17 February.

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 twenty-first 52 Ancestors post and part of week thirty-five.

19th Century Newspaper Death Notices

Kris Hocker on 28 Aug 2014

Newspapers can be an invaluable source of historical information to put our ancestors’ lives in context. But they can also provide direct content, such as BDM—birth, death, marriage—dates, about our ancestors, too. I have found casual, social news about family, marriage announcements, death announcements, and obituaries in newspapers where they lived during the 19th and early 20th centuries.

The information provided in a newspaper can vary greatly—from the limited data of a death notice:

Died—On Tuesday last, in this borough [Harrisburg], Miss Amelia, daughter of the last Judge Henry dec’d.¹

to a short article:

During the storm of Thursday afternoon, Samuel Hocker was killed, in the vicinity of Spring Mills, Montgomery county, by lightning, while standing under a tree, with three other men. His companions were all stunned, but escaped without much injury.²

to a longer obituary:

Died—On Thursday the 3d instant, Thomas Girty, in the 90th year of his age.

The name of this veteran, and of some of his family, is associated with some of the most interesting events in the history of the first settlement of this country. Could the incidents of his life be collected they would form a valuable work, and give a proper idea of the intrepidity, enterprise, and heavy sufferings of that class of early settlers, who were formerly called Indian Hunters. Girty was born in 1731, in Shennan’s valley. He was taken prisoner with his whole family in ’55 by the Indians, and brought to Fort Kittaning, where his step father was burnt in his presence, at the stake. After this hellish transaction the four brothers and mother were sent off among the different tribes of the Northwestern Indians. Thomas Girty made his escape and fell in with General Armstrong. The rest of the family were exchanged in the year ’58 at General Forbes’ treaty.³

So, don’t discount newspapers because your ancestor wasn’t famous or a person of great importance. You might not find anything. But you might just hit the genealogy jackpot.

1916 Aetna Explosives Co. Explosion at Mt. Union, Pa.

Kris Hocker on 27 Aug 2014

While writing this week’s 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks, I recalled a story my grandfather told me about an incident in his father’s life. With a little digging, I was able to discover more information about it.

Will Hocker – Aetna Explosives Co. Crew?

Grandpa once recalled that his father—William Howard Hocker—worked at a mill that made gunpowder when he was a newly married man—before my grandfather was born. The family wasn’t living in Harrisburg at the time. Supposedly, my great grandfather went home for lunch one day and while he was there, an explosion destroyed part of the mill, killing my great grandfather’s team.

My grandfather didn’t supply any detail—the who, what, when, and where. But records from my great grandfather’s life helped to fill in the blanks. Will Hocker married Isabella Aiken Smith on 13 October 1914 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.¹ At the time, he was a carpenter. He was born and grew up in Harrisburg and was still living there when he married. His first child, daughter Bonnie, was born in Harrisburg in May 1915. So, was his second child, born in 1918.

However, during the intervening years, he was required to register for the draft during World War I. At that time—June 1917—Will was living in Newton-Hamilton, Wayne Township, Mifflin County, working at the Aetna Explosives Company as a millwright.²

Proximity of Mount Union & Newton-Hamilton

The Aetna Explosives Company of New York built a large plant at Mount Union in May 1915 to manufacture munitions for World War I.³ The company bought the farm of John Westbrook and built their plant, which eventually covered 380 acres of land. Work on this factory progressed rapidly and it started operations, producing gun cotton, in September 1915. The powder presses arrived a month later. “This plant manufactured smokeless powder for the Russian, French, and English Governments and finally for the United States Government, and in October 1918, was delivering at the rate of 1,500,000 pounds of smokeless powder per month.”⁴

According to The American Underwriter Magazine and Insurance Review, there was an explosion at the Aetna Explosives Co. factory in Mount Union at their finishing mill, resulting in $60,000 in damages in 1916.⁵ The explosion was due to “spon. combustion.” My grandfather told me that static electricity built up in the drum and ignited the powder.

Newspaper coverage from the time stated:

Huntingdon, Pa., Sept. 21— Five men were instantly killed and another sustained injuries which caused his death hours later when the air dry house of the Mount Union plant of the Aetna explosives company was wrecked near here early today. All the dead were empleyed [sic] in the building which was blown to pieces.⁶

The men who died that day were “Clayton Clark of Shirleysville, Pa., George Scayer of Orbisonia, Pa., William Pyles of Orbisonia, Pa., Charles Bard of Obrisonia, Pa., and Steve Olsch of Lancaster, Pa.” William Leman, of Portage, Pa., was critically injured and later died. The explosion was felt for miles and sent debris flying several hundred feet.⁷

According to the Harrisburg Telegraph, “Six men were killed and a number injured at 6 o’clock this morning when a terrific explosion completely destroyed the cotton dry house at the plant of the Aetna Explosives Company here [Mount Union]. The men were changing shifts at the time, the night workers just going away from the building at the time escaped injury.”⁸ The newspaper claims the dead were “George Stair, Orbisonia; Elmer Pyle, Orbisonia; Clayton Clark, Marietta; Elmer Bair, Orbisonia; William Lehman, Portage, and Charles Vlsch [Olsch?], Orbisonia.”

Aetna Explosives Co. Crew, ca 1916?

If the time of day referenced in this account is correct, then my great grandfather likely hadn’t gone home for lunch, but had either already left or hadn’t yet arrived for his shift. I don’t know in what capacity my great grandfather worked at the factory. His 1917 draft card lists him as a millwright. My understanding of this position as “a specialized carpenter”⁹ is consistent with his work life both before and after his job with Aetna Explosives Company. I would guess that he was involved with the setting up, building and maintaining the factory and its equipment.

How this plays against my grandfather’s account, I don’t know. I can’t be sure whether or not my great grandfather personally knew or worked with the deceased. While I know that he was working at the company in June 1917, was he already working there in September 1916? Given the size of the facility, it would have taken a large workforce to build it—including a large number of carpenters. Steady work would have appealed to a man with a wife and young child to support. So, it’s possible, if not likely, that he was. Unfortunately, this wasn’t the only explosion at the factory. Even if Grandpa’s story isn’t related to this tragedy, it may have been related to one of the others.

I am sure, however, that this was an extremely traumatic event in his life and must have touched him deeply. Why else would he speak of it with his son—who wasn’t even born until two years after the tragedy? And in such a way that that boy felt the need to speak of it with his granddaughter when asked about the photos?

I’m glad I looked into my grandfather’s memory. Stories like this give depth to our understanding of our ancestors and the events they lived through. Knowing that my great grandfather remembered this event and the men who died, provides insight into the type of man he was. And that’s the closest I can get to knowing him.

Photo Notes: Reviewing the two photos, it appears that most of the men are in both photo. Two men—the man to the far left and the man to the far right in the first photo—are not in the second photo. I don’t know for certain that my great grandfather is in either, but the man to the far left in the first photo resembles him to me. Maybe one of the family who actually knew him will post a comment?

52 Ancestors: Isabella (Smith) Hocker (1893-1962)

Kris Hocker on 25 Aug 2014

William and Eliza Craig (Bonnington) Smith came to Pennsylvania from Edinburgh, Scotland about 1890, leaving their eldest two children with Eliza’s parents Peter and Elizabeth (Buchanan) Bonnington in Scotland until they were settled in Harrisburg.¹ William became a United States citizen on 12 January 1893.²

My great grandmother, Isabella “Isabel” (Aiken) Smith, was born Tuesday, 4 April 1893 in Harrisburg, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.³ She was the third daughter and fifth Smith child. He older brother William was the first child born in the United States. He was born 28 March 1892.⁴ Her youngest brother, Robert Thomas Alexander Smith was born 7 April 1899.⁵

The family lived on Zarker Street in Harrisburg. William owned and operated an ice house on Howard Street.⁶ Given the proximity between the two, it’s likely that the family home was behind their business.

When Isabella was eleven years old, her father died of pneumonia on Thursday, 23 February 1905.⁷ He was fifty-three years old. Eliza was suddenly responsible for a family of five children, aged from nineteen to four years of age. I’m sure it was a difficult time for them all.

Isabella Smith and the telephone girls

Eliza remarried on 1 August 1908 in Harrisburg to Robert Owens Cochrane, an Irishman.⁸ He was a clerk for a steel company. In 1910, the family was living at 1934 Forster Street in Susquehanna Township, just outside the Harrisburg city limits.⁹ James and William were not with the family—James, I believe, died in 1905, but I don’t know where Willie was at this time. Isabella’s older sister, Bess, was working as a sales lady and Isabella was working as a telephone operator. By the time Isabella was nineteen, her hair had turned white from typhoid fever—which she had twice.¹⁰

William and Isabella (Smith) Hocker

On Tuesday, 13 October 1914, at age 21, Isabella married at Harrisburg, William “Will” Howard Hocker.¹¹ The youngest son of Albert Curtin and Lillian Ainsley (Leedy) Hocker, formerly of Harrisburg, Will was born Sunday, 17 August 1890 in Swatara Township.¹²

Will was a carpenter and general contractor for most of his life. At one point, however, he worked as a millwright at Aetna Explosives Company in Newton Hamilton on the Juniata River in Mifflin County, Pennsylvania.¹³ My grandfather told the story that one day his father had gone home for lunch, leaving his men at work at the mill. While he was at home, there was a terrible explosion. Grandpa said his father blamed himself for not being there to watch over his men.

Will and Isabella had five children:

Isabella Bonnington Hocker was born 20 May 1915 and died 13 July 2006. Bonnie married Harold McGowan Ruder on 25 April 1940 at Olivet Presbyterian Church in Harrisburg.
William Howard Hocker Jr. was born on 1 September 1918 and died 17 January 2008. He married my grandmother on 25 September 1941.
Anna Louise Hocker was born 10 September 1919 and died 23 September 1963. She married 14 August 1942 Willard Clair Hoover in Alexandria, Louisiana.
Betty Jean Hocker was born 3 November 1923 and died 6 March 2014. She married William Osbourne Wingeard Jr. 24 April 1953 at Epworth Methodist Church in Harrisburg.
Meriam “Mims” Elizabeth Hocker was born 20 September 1929 in Harrisburg and died 15 September 1999. She married January 1949 in Hagerstown, Maryland.

Isabella’s mother, Eliza Craig (Bonnington) Smith Cochrane, died Friday, 18 October 1946 in Philadelphia.¹⁴ Her second husband had passed away more the twenty years before. Eliza was buried in Paxtang Cemetery, Paxtang Borough, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.

Isabella Aiken (Smith) Hocker

Isabella died Saturday, 21 July 1962 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. She was buried in the Paxtang Cemetery on Tuesday, 24 July 1962.¹⁵ She was survived by her husband, five children, and fourteen grandchildren.¹⁶At the time of her death, she was a member of Epworth Methodist Church and taught in the church’s beginning department.

Will passed away Wednesday, 22 March 1967 and was buried Saturday, 25 March 1967, also in Paxtang Cemetery.¹⁷ He was survived by his son, three daughters, and fourteen grandchildren.¹⁸ He, too, was a member of Epworth Methodist Church. He was also a member and trustee of the local carpenter’s union and the Harrisburg Hunters and Anglers Association.

52 Ancestors: Daniel Bobb Sr. (1747-1833)

Kris Hocker on 19 Aug 2014

Daniel Bobb Sr. Daniel Bobb of Hereford Township wrote his last will and testament on Saturday, 26 May 1827 and it was proven on Tuesday, 19 March 1833 in Berks County.¹

It read:

In the name of God, Amen—

I Daniel Bob Senior of Hereford Township in the County of Berks and State of Pennsylvania, Miller, being advanced in years though in perfect health of body, and of sound mind memory and understanding, but considering the uncertainty of this transitory life, do make and publish this my last will and testament, in manner & form following, to wit:

First, it is my will that all my just debts and funeral expence by duly paid and satisfied as soon as conveniently can be after my decease.

Item, it is my will and I do order and direct that my son Daniel his heirs Executors or administrators, shall, in pursuance of Articles of agreement between us now in the hands of Joseph M. Thompson, dated the 12th day of December AD 1826 — and of a special bond, or bond of maintenance given me by my said son Daniel dated in April 1827; give and render unto my beloved wife Catharine, as follows, that is to say — first, the full & absolute possession of the dwelling house wherein I now reside, and the garden thereto belonging, he shall deliver so much manure into said Garden, and at such times as my wife shall order and direct, and shall keep said garden fence in repair, he shall find my said wife so much fuel as she may request, cut small, suitable for the stove, and deliver the same to her door, or into her house, as she my order, and shall keep the fountain pump at said house in repair. He shall deliver my said wife yearly & every year, ten bushels of merchantable wheat, twelve bushels of Rye, ten bushels buckwheat & six bushels of Indian corn, to be ready ground & delivered into her house as such times and in such quantities as my said wife shall order. He shall also deliver to such place as my said wife shall direct, six bushels of good potatoes, six bushels of winter apples, of her choice, on the premises of my said son Daniel; also apples for drying & for her own summer use. Also to barrels of cider, one swine well fattened & to weigh two hundred pounds or upwards, killed & nicely cleaned, seventy five pounds weight of good beef, ten pounds & well hatcheled flax, eight pounds of good [?], six pounds of good clean wool, & two [?] bushels of salt; and shall keep number and provide for my said wife an half dozen hens, and an equal number & year, to kill if she sees proper. He shall feed in winter and pasture in summer for my said wife, one cow, in the same manner as his own are fed & pastured. All and singular the aforesaid provisions for my said wife , shall however, cease I determine so soon as she shall cease to be my widow, anything herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding, —

Item I do give & devise unto my said wife Catharine, further, all my household & kitchen furnature; bedding linnen &c. included, one cow of her choice, of my stock of cattle; twenty five pounds of lawfull money of Pennsylvania, to be paid to her by my executors soon after my decease;d and the interest of six hundred pounds (which sum I do hereby order & direct my executors hereinafter named to place, or let remain on interest for that purpose) yearly & every year during her lifetime. And further it is my will and I do order and direct, that in case my said wife should become helpless, or not able to do her own work; that then and in that case my Executors shall find, and, out of my estate, pay, a maid to do the work for & wait, on, my said wife. —

After the decease of my said wife it is my will, that, her movables, if there by any, shall be equally divided among my six children, hereinafter named. —

And as touching all the rest and residue of my estate, not otherwise disposed of, as also (after the decease of my said wife Catharine) the six hundred pounds, which I have ordered to be put on interest for my said wife, I do give and devise to same to my six children, viz. Elizabeth intermarried with Isaac Kummerer, John, Daniel, Mary intermarried with John Beitler, Catharine intermarried with Samuel Reidnower and Sarah intermarried with John Landis, share and share alike — The several sums of money or other things with which I have charged my children, or of which I have kept a memmorandum, shall be taken into account, in making distribution of my estate, among my said children; but no interest shall be charged to my said children, on my book account, or bonds, notes &c. that I may have against any of them. —

And whereas my son in law Samuel Reidnower has become an intemperate drinker, and does not treat my said daughter Catharine as an affectionate husband aught to do, therefore it is my will I do order and direct, that so much of my estate as would in pursuance of this my will fall to my daughter Catharine, shall be placed, or remain in the hands of my son Daniel, his executors or administrators, in trust for my said daughter Catharine, who shall if he or they can put the same to interest, and pay the said interest, yearly to my said daughter Catharine, and I do hereby further authorize my said son Daniel, his executors or administrators, as trustees of my said daughter Catharine to pay here from time to time such sum or sums, of the principle in his or their hands, as he or they shall in their discretion, think, she may stand in need of or her circumstances may require —

In case my said daughter should become a widow, the said trustee or trustees, shall forthwith, pay my said daughter Catharine, the ballance of her portion, in their hands, in full, but is she should no become a widow, the said trustee or trustees shall at her decease pay the ballance in their hands, to the legal heirs or representatives of my said daughter Catharine — The foregoing shall not be so construed as to make my son Daniel pay interest on my said daughters money, unless he can put it out to interest

And lastly I do nominate constitute and appoint my said son Daniel & my son in law Isaac Kummerer, to be executors of this my will, hereby revoking all others wills legacies & bequests by me heretofore made, and declaring this and no other, to be my last Will & Testament — In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 26 day of May in the year of Our Lord one thousand and eight hundred and twenty seven.
Daniel Bob {seal}
Signed Sealed & declared by the said testator as his last will & testament in the presence of us
Henry Eshbach
Elijah Eshbach

Berks County Ss —On the 19th day of March AD 1835 Then appeared Henry Eshbach and Elijah Eshbach and being duly sworn according to law, did depose and say that they were present and saw and heard the Testator sign, seal, publish, pronounce and de- this instrument of writing as and for his last Will and Testament and that at the time of the doing thereof he was of sound mind memory and understanding to the best of their knowledge, observation & belief.
Jer. Snyder Dept Reg’r

Letters Testamentary in Common form were granted to Daniel Bob & Isaac Kummerer

Daniel Bobb Sr.’s 1833 last will & testament

Daniel Bobb Sr. was buried in Hill Church Union Cemetery in Boyertown, Berks County, Pennsylvania.² Daniel named his wife Catharine and six children in his will.

Elizabeth Bobb was born 23 Mar 1776 and died 30 Jun 1850.³ She married Isaac Kummerer. He was born 27 October 1769 and died 16 April 1838.⁴
John Bobb was born about 1766-1784.
Daniel Bobb Jr. was born 26 July 1780 and died 27 June 1866.⁵ Daniel married Anna Margaret Herb, daughter of Abraham and Anna Sibilla (Fuchs) Herb, on 7 July 1805 in Oley Hills, Berks County.⁶ She was born 1 Jan 1783 and died 21 December 1865.⁷
Mary Bobb was born before 1790. She married John Beitler.
Catharina Bobb was born 6 Oct 1790 and died 9 July 1867. She married Samuel Reitenauer.
Sarah Bobb was born between 1795 and 1800. She married John Landis.⁸

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 twentieth 52 Ancestors post and part of week thirty-three.

Friday Find: Hans Herr House

Kris Hocker on 15 Aug 2014

From Peter Taborelli’s Footsteps of History